Constriction
by Ghosthands
Summary: It is a chance for NCIS to beat the FBI, but something goes horribly wrong. An explosion leads the team on a chase for an old adversary. Will they stop them in time? Will Tony survive a pain from his past and a new pain he is just realizing?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is the first time i have written anything besides paperwork since high school and that was 10 years ago so i hope you all enjoy this at least a little bit. **

**I do not own any part of ncis or anything associated with ncis.**

Tony had looked forward to this day since he got back from his unwanted position as an agent afloat. The inter-agency softball tournament had been rescheduled due to rain the week before and Tony couldn't wait to be out on that field. The only thing was he was stuck in the office finishing up some paperwork for Gibbs on this fine Saturday, and Tony hated working on Saturdays. He was flying through case reports at a frantic pace while his cell was pressed into his ear with his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah…No I am coming. How long until we take the field" he asked.

Ziva was watching Tony with a puzzled smirk on her face. Honestly she had never seen him work so fast at anything since she had known him. She got up and walked over and sat on McGee's desk. He was typing on his computer, trying to download a new database program he had been working on. "McGee, do you know why he is working so fast? He normally is rooster pecking his keyboard, bored to death but look at him."

McGee looked up at Ziva with an amused look on his face. "It's actually chicken pecking, Ziva." McGee stood up and put his hands in his pockets nodding over at Tony. "Inter-agency softball tournament is today. And Tony is running late."

Tony took his phone from his ear in one hand flipping it closed while raising the other in triumph, "Done".

"Oh ho, DiNozzo you've done it again. Finishing in the nick of time to run and save the day." He stood from his desk and walked into the middle of the bullpen, arms raised above his head in triumph.

Ziva sighed and slipped off of McGee's desk and walked to hers sitting into her chair watching her partner with a smile that was half amusement and half wonder. "Do you always act this immature when you get a chance to play sports?" she asked Tony as he took his victory lap around the bullpen.

"Softball is not a sport, Zee-Vah" He said in all seriousness as he stopped in front of her desk looking down at her. "And the only reason that I am even playing this year is that I might get the chance to hit a line drive at agent Sacks from the FBI." Tony remembered he had to be at the field in twenty minutes and ran to his desk to grab his bag. He turned to leave heading for the elevator when he turned and said "McGee, tell boss that the files are done and are on my desk and….". He trailed off as Gibbs came up behind him and slapped the back of his head. Tony reached up and rubbed the spot asking "What was that for boss?"

"Being late for the game." Gibbs settled into his desk and pushed a few buttons on his computer while Tony was still rubbing his head. He looked up at his agent. "What are you still doing here DiNozzo?"

"Right boss." Tony turned and ran to the elevator and slid in just as the doors were closing.

"Give 'em hell DiNozzo" Gibbs said under his breath with a wry grin.

After a few minutes McGee turned to Gibbs. "You going to the game boss?" Gibbs glanced up at McGee and in a flat tone replied "I got better things to do with my Saturday afternoon than watch DiNozzo strike out."

Ziva looked confused and asked "Is Tony trying to pick up a woman? I thought was going to play a game?"

A small smile touched Gibbs's lips when she said that and McGee chuckled. Realizing that she was not going to get a response she returned to the stack of papers on her desk.

Fifteen minutes later gibb's phone started to ring. Tim and Ziva looked up excitedly as Gibbs answered, even though it was a Saturday they would be happy to get a case that would drag them away from the dull paperwork in front of them.

Gibbs stood up and slammed the phone down and yelled, "McGee, channel 6!" as he pointed at the large plasma that was next to his desk. Tim fumbled with the clicker on his desk but managed to get the plasma on the desired channel.

The plasma screamed to life as a camera shot from a helicopter was hovering over a small field; smoke rising from the grass that was still on fire. "As you can see our traffic cam just seconds ago has captured what appears to be an explosion coming from the downtown area. We are not sure as to what is going on right now but we will keep with this story as long as we can" the reporter who usually does the traffic report said. Ziva, McGee, and Gibbs stared at the scene in front of them. McGee squinted his eyes at the large television. "Oh, my god boss. That's Warner Field! That's where the softball tournament is!"

Ziva stared at the plasma in shock, then noticing Gibbs grabbing his gun and badge from his desk, she ran to hers and grabbed her gun and backpack and they ran to the elevator with McGee right behind her. Gibbs slammed on the elevator buttons waiting impatiently for them to reach their destination. They ran to the charger and Gibbs took off before McGee had even managed to close his door. Ziva had been worried about Tony before but never like this. Her mind drifted to her past and saw people run in horror from smoking buildings and ravaged bodies. "He is going to be fine" she said in her head. "He will be fine, he will be fine, he will be fine." Tony could'nt die, not in that horrific manner at any rate. He had survived the plague, he had survived being trapped in a metal shipping crate with Ziva while he annoyed her to no end, he had survived his car exploding just a few carlengths behind him, and he had survived Gibbs. "He can't die", she told herself. She felt a hand on her shoulder squeezing lightly. It was then that she realized that she had said the last part out loud. Gibbs drove like a man possessed. When they arrived on the scene only two police cars and one ambulance had arrived. The three jumped out of the car and headed towards what was left of the field. A policeman came up and told them to stay back until Gibbs brushed him aside and continued walking. McGee was showing him his badge and telling him they had agents here today.

Fire engines had arrived and were doing their best to quell the flames. More ambulances arrived and the EMT's were helping as many people they could. Gibbs and the team searched and searched but could not find Tony. Ziva was the one who finally saw him. Tony was administering CPR to a young girl in the parking lot. Two other small children were lying next to them. Tony's shirt was no longer a shirt. It had pieces torn off of it from everywhere and Ziva noticed that all of the children were now wearing his shirt as bandages for wounds. She yelled for Gibbs and McGee and ran to where Tony was kneeling next to the girl.

Her mind raced at the sight. She pictured herself giving her sister Tali CPR before she died in her arms. Ziva looked down at the poor girl and knew she was gone. She kneeled and checked her pulse. It was not there. She looked up at Tony who was now staring at her. With a tear in her eye she told him "Tony…Tony she is gone." Tony did not stop. Ziva placed her hand over his on top of the girls' chest. In a soft voice she said again "Tony. She is gone." Tony just shook his head at her. "She's not gone. I am not giving up on her." Ziva went to put her hand on his shoulder when the child took a small breath. Tony stopped long enough to make sure he had not imagined it. He put his fingers to her neck to check her pulse. It was shallow but it was there, just barely. He picked the girl up and put her into McGee's arms as he and Gibbs came running up to them. "McGee, get her to an ambulance." McGee just looked shocked to see a bloody and battered Tony hand him a small child. "Now!" Tony yelled. Tim turned and ran as fast as he dared to the closest ambulance. Tony sat down on the ground and put his head in his hands. Ziva sat beside him rubbing his back and Gibbs just stood before him and rubbed the top of the younger agents head and whispered, "Good job, DiNozzo."


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs stood staring down at the remains of the dugout lost in his thoughts. It was now 3 am and the portable lights that were illuminating the field caused a harsh light to fall over it. His initial anger had subsided for the moment to be replaced by faces of fellow agents that were now lying in the body bags in the parking lot. He squatted down to the ground to make like he was checking something but it was only to cover the sense of loss he felt. Memories rushed back to him matching the faces in his mind. Not one of the deceased agents had ever served on his team. All of them had contributed to his investigations over the years and had become a net that his team could rely on if they needed help.

He was snapped back to his senses when his cell phone began to ring and vibrate on his hip. He quickly grabbed it and snapped it open to his ear. "Gibbs." He said quietly into the receiver. It was Director Vance on the other end of the line asking for a sit rep. "Four dead. Fifteen wounded and four unaccounted for." Gibbs growled into the phone, his anger beginning to return. He listened to Vance on the other end of the line for a few moments. "NCIS Special Agents Hensen, Shaw, Hallsten, and Alonzo." After a few seconds more he slapped his phone shut and returned it to his holster. He took a large breath to steady himself before standing.

"McGee, David, Balboa, Jensen!" he yelled. The aforementioned people hurrying to stand before him. They had finished clearing the scene. Evidence was tagged a million photos were taken and Ducky was there collecting the bodies. "Balboa, I want you and your team going through all the cases of all of our agents that were here. Jensen, I want your team talking to every agency that there is. I want to know if anyone is taking responsibility, I want every bit of chatter or threats and I want it on my desk at 0800. " Balboa and Jensen nodded and ran to their assembled teams giving them their orders while Gibbs began walking towards their car. McGee and Ziva followed close behind. McGee stepped closer to Gibbs and asked, "You think this could have been targeted at one of them boss?" Gibbs ignored his question and continued talking, "McGee get back to the lab and help Abby. It's going to be a long night." He nodded and headed for he cars that had brought other agents to the scene.

"What about me Gibbs?" Ziva was right on his heels. She wanted to go to the hospital to check on Tony. She was scared for him. He had collapsed while she had tried to help him to one of the ambulances. The only reason she did not go with him was because Gibbs had placed a strong hand on her shoulder and told her to start sketching the scene.

"Go check on Tony." Was his reply.

_He was in the dugout talking to his team about how they didn't need to piss their pants anymore because big bad DiNozzo was there now. They had a few minutes left before the game started so he started to tell them about the movie Bull Durham which was met by groans from his compatriots._

_He thought to himself, "I wander if Ziva even knows what softball is?" It occurred to him to call her. He wanted to tell her to come down to the field on her lunch break to see him in action. Really he just wanted her there. She was his partner and friend but his feelings toward her had begun to move past friendship. He loved bickering and flirting with her; it was one of the reasons he enjoyed working at NCIS so much. He had begun to mature a little after his relationship with Jeanne realizing that there is more to life than meaningless sex and hollow relationships. Ziva would never want a relationship with him the way he used to be, but if he grew up just a little, maybe. He didn't hold out a lot of hope but he knew he was the better for it. _

_He reached down for his cell phone but it wasn't in the holster on his waist. In his hurry to get to the game on time he must have left it in the car. "Hensen, Shaw, I gotta run to my car real quick be right back." He said to his friends. He trotted out of the dugout and headed towards his car parked in one of the back rows of the small parking lot. He got to his car and opened the door quickly, leaning in to pick up his phone from the passenger seat. He just slammed the door when to explosion happened. BOOOOOOOOOOOM_

_Ding!_ The chime on the elevator startled Tony as his head jerked up from his desk, one of the papers sticking to the side of his face. He grabbed the paper from his face so he could see the elevator. He did not like what he saw, a visibly upset Ziva David marching towards his desk. He did not need this right now. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and returned to looking at the files that were on his desk.

"Tony DiNozzo!" She yelled as she stood in front of his desk. "What are you doing? I have been ill with worry. I have been to the hospital your apartment then back to the hospital. You have a concussion. They want you to stay there for observation!" Her eyes were twin fires of emotion barely held in check. She had been franticly searching for him everywhere. Fear had begun to engulf her and she fought back the tears. Though now seeing at his desk anger had begun to burn the tears away.

Tony hid his emotions down deep at the site of his partner so obviously concerned for him. That tiny flicker of hope he had burned slightly brighter. "First of David, it is sick with worry. Not ill. Sick. Secondly I never did like hospital food. Thirdly I know I have a concussion considering it is _my_ head that is pounding." He looked up at her with a smile that never reached his eyes. "And you were worried?"

She threw her arms up in exasperation, "This is not the time for jokes! How can I watch my partners back if I do not know where it is?" She started pacing back and forth in front of his desk as she vented her worries. She had unshed tears in her eyes but she would not let them fall. After she finished her rant about how amazingly juvenile and of all the stupid things he had done over the years this was the dumbest, she sat down on the edge of his desk next to his chair looking down on him. She was still furious at him but mad at herself for losing control. He had just been through a terrible ordeal and the first thing she does when she sees him is yell at him.

Tony reached out and placed a comforting hand on her knee. "I am fine, Ziva." He stood up not removing his hand and her gaze locked onto his eyes. He stroked her cheek with one hand "I am fine. If the doctors wanted to observe me the didn't do a very good job." A thought occurred to him and he wiggled his eyebrows her. "You could observe me all night if you want to." He flashed her his brightest smile he could muster. She looked at him knew by the way his eyes looked that he was hiding his pain. If this were how he wanted to cope she would help him with it.

She slid off his desk and pressed her body up against him. Standing on her toes she whispered into his ear close enough that he could feel her breath on his skin, "It would be boring if all I am going to watch is you work." She playfully shoved his shoulders and quickly moved to sit behind her own desk instantly regretting the lack of warmth that his body provided.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here's another update. Sorry if it isn't very good. I know what I want to happen and where I want to go with this story but writing it is proving a little bit more difficult than I had previously thought. Wish I had paid attention in English class now.

**Don't own any of ncis. **

TWO DAYS LATER

The phone rang at Gibbs desk and he answered it before it had finished its first ring. The team had barely slept the last two days and everyone was getting punchy due to lack of sleep and caffeine overdose. Tony had not been himself and Gibbs supposed that he never would be until they had the bastard that did this. For his part though Gibbs was proud of the way Tony had responded to the situation. He was showing a quiet strength that he had no idea Tony had possessed. He had seen Tony blow his top and rant on difficult cases but this time he was showing restraint and although he still cracked jokes, it seemed like it was more of an effort to keep the normal status quoe.

"Gibbs. Be right down Abs." He turned to the team. "Come on. Abby's got something." He stood from his desk heading towards the rear elevator with his team right on his heels. They had been doing everything they could for the last two days and leads were small and insignificant, so any new information was a welcome thing.

They all stood in the elevator descending to the lab. Ziva kept looking at Tony with worry. He had yet to talk to anyone that she knew of and had only left the bullpen since the night of the explosion once to get some clean clothes from his apartment. He had large black bags under his eyes and she knew that he was not sleeping anymore. He had dosed off once but awoke an hour later with a frightened look etched onto his face and Ziva knew he was having nightmares. She had tried to talk to him on several occasions and the only thing that she could get out of him were the jokes that he had to force. The witty banter was forced and although she was glad that he was trying to keep things the way they always had been she was hurt that he would not let her in. Of course the also thought to herself that she was the same way with him.

The elevator doors opened and the team strode into the lab, taking place behind Abby as she sat at her computer. Gibbs walked up and stood next to her, "What do you got Abby?" "I have got bats, Gibbs." She spun her chair around and walked to the stainless steel counter that was situated in the center of her lab. It was shards of metal and plastic evidence bags strewn about. On one corner it looked like she was trying to assemble a puzzle out of the material. "Bats?" Gibbs asked. "Yup. The chemical components that make up the metal from the shards found at the scene are the same that are used with high quality softball bats." She bends over and picks up a softball bat from under the table. "See the bats are hollow with just a plastic or graphite cover set into the top. It would be easy to take the cover off and slide the explosives in and then recover it." "Basically a very large pipe bomb boss." McGee said as he walked over to the puzzle on the table. "Can you tell what kind of explosive was used Abby?" Gibbs asked. "Well Major Mass Spec is working on it. From preliminary examination of the residue from the metal shards I would say c4 but I won't have a definite until he's finished.

Gibbs leaned down and gave Abby a kiss on the cheek. "That's good work Ab's." He turned towards the door and headed back to the elevator with Tony, Ziva, and McGee right behind him.

"Ryan athletic, boss." McGee said. "Bats were bought two weeks ago delivered to the field the same day of the explosion."

Gibbs grabbed his gun and badge from his desk drawer, the rest of the team followed suit. "McGee with me. Tony, Ziva get some sleep." He said as he started walking towards the front elevator with McGee right behind him.

"Why do we have to stay boss?" Tony asked, angered that he could not go and help. Gibbs glared back at the both of them. "Cause elflord had a four hour nap in Abby's lab while you two were getting info from Jensens team. You won't do me any good dead on your feet." With that said the doors to the elevator closed.

Tony slumped back into his chair, putting his gun and badge back into the drawer. He laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back to put his feet up on top of his desk.

"Come on Tony." Ziva said as she stood and walked to the front of Tony's desk. "You can use the futon in Abby's lab. It has got to be more comfortable than that chair you have been sitting in for three days."

Without moving Tony said "No, that's ok. You can use it. I'm fine right here." She shook her head "I am not going to bed alone Tony." Tony looked at her and his eyebrows shot up in amusement and a large smile crossed his face while his eyes lit up.

She looked puzzled at his expression when it dawned on her what she just had said. Her eyes opened wide then she calmed herself. "I, umm, what I meant was that we were ordered to get some sleep and if we have to sleep we should do it comfortably. The futon is the only option and it can fit two people and…"

"And Ziva?" Tony loved this. Maybe she cared for him more than he thought. He thought about teasing her more and decided against it, an embarrassed sleep deprived mossad agent was one thing, an embarrassed sleep deprived angry mossad agent was a different animal all together. "Okay Ziva. Okay." He stood up from his chair and started towards the elevator with her beside him. The elevator doors opened and they quickly got inside. Tony pressed the button for the lab and leaned back against the wall. He smiled big as he said "You know Ziva, if you wanted to get me into so bed, you could have asked a lot earlier." The elevator doors closed and if a person listened closely they could hear Tony yelp in pain.


	4. Chapter 4

**Havent updated in a few so here ya go. Hope yall like it. Writers block is tuff but i think i am starting to come out of it.**

**A/N: Dont own any NCIS**

_Screams were everywhere around him as he lay on the ground staring at the devastation before him. He snapped back into reality when he heard moans coming from his right. He stood and stumbled towards the sound on rubbery legs his heart pounding in his chest. He soon found three young children lying on the ground, two were bleeding and one lay motionless. He acted instinctively and rushed over to them his legs regaining some of their power. He checked the wounds of the two who were bleeding, they were not too deep but still blood flowed easily from the wounds. He ripped pieces off his shirt and used them as makeshift bandages until the ambulances arrived to properly dress the wounds. After he had finished with them he turned his attention to the third child. He checked for her pulse and found it was shallow and erratic. He checked her body injuries when he noticed a large bruise beginning to form on her abdomen and sides. Major internal injuries his mind shouted at him. But he didn't know what to do. A feeling of helplessness washed over him as he cradled the young girl in his arms. "I'm not strong enough for this." He thought to himself as he held the girl. He held her for some minutes before he noticed her breathing becoming shallow like she was struggling to take in her breaths. Her eyes began to flutter open and she looked at him with terrified pain filled eyes. The looked in her eyes broke his heart into a million pieces._

_He didn't know what to do. She looked directly into his eyes and he was captured in them. He saw the pain and the terror inside those two pale blue orbs and he was lost. He had been scared before but this was different. He was scared when he had the plague even though he never admitted it. He was scared when he had to confront Jeanne after she had accused him of murder. He was scared when he was falsely imprisoned for a murder he never committed. But this was the first time that he was immobilized by fear, he was petrified, glued to the girl's eyes. _

"_I…I…I…don't wanna…die!" The girl struggled to get out as she labored for breath. That statement broke Tony from his reverie and he told her with confidence that he could not feel, "Don't worry, your not gonna die. Your gonna be fine." He tore his eyes away from her gaze._

_Her little hand came up and squeezed the fabric of his shirt at the collar. She had tears streaming down her face from both fear and pain, "P…P…Promise?" she asked, imploring him to answer that she was. _

"_Yes, I promise. I won't let you go. Your gonna be fine. The ambulance will be here soon and their gonna fix you up, I swear." Tony said, his voice cracking from the strain of trying to sound positive._

_She smiled at him. He smiled back. Her eyes began to close slowly and her breathing decreased. "Hey." Tony said to her shaking her lightly. "Hey, hey, hey, hang on darling." He said as he shook her slightly harder trying to get her to wake up again. Suddenly he became very aware that her breathing had stopped._

"_No, no, no, no." Tony said repeatedly with voice rising each time. He placed her on the ground and checked for the pulse but his fingers found nothing. "No, no, no, no. Come on girl. Don't do this. Come back." He said as he checked for a pulse at her neck and then her wrists. "No. No. No. No. NO!"_

"NO!" Tony screamed as he jumped up from the futon. He didn't know where he was and his eyes searched the room like a scared animal. His heart raced and he was panting as his fingers clutched painfully to the small scratchy blanket that covered him.

Gentle hands began rub his arm. He was startled at the touch and looked over to see Ziva sitting up next to him with her hand on his arm. His senses slowly began to return to him as he looked around the room again to realize he was in Abby's office in the lab.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled as he rubbed his palms into his eyes. His hands ran down his face to cup his nose and mouth as he closed his eyes, taking a few moments to banish the image of two pale blue eyes from his mind. Ziva's voice cut through the air, "Are you okay, Tony?" He took a moment to steady himself before answering; "Yeah…Yeah I'm fine." "Another bad dream?" She asked with concern in her voice.

"Yeah, but no big deal. I'll be fine." He answered her, glad that his voice wasn't shaking. "Tony, you are not fine. You just laid down not more than twenty minutes ago and you just woke up screaming. Talk to me. I am trying to help you." She said with worry barely contained in her voice.

He was glad she was there trying to help. If anyone on the team would know what he was going through it would be her. She had been in this situation many times and at times he could see the pain and hurt behind her eyes. It actually must have been worse for her considering that it was her sister that had died in her arms after a bombing in Tel Aviv. He had seen that look on her and all he would want to do is grab her and pull her to him, hug her tightly and tell everything would be okay. She would not want it though he reminded himself. Crying and needing comfort was something he knew she thought was a weakness. And if she thought it was a weakness in herself, how would it look for a man who was trying to be more for her to break down. No. He wouldn't do it. He had to be strong. He had to be strong for her, for himself, and for the little girl whose eyes danced in the back of his mind.

He shook his head and put a small smile on his lips, "Just a dream about some insurance salesmen and Jehovah's witnesses chasing me down the street throwing pamphlets at me." Anger, concern and happiness flowed through her at his flippant statement. Anger that he was not talking to her about his real problems. Concern because she knew he was hurting and he would not let her help him. And happiness that although Tony was deeply hurt, he was still trying to give the team a semblance of normalcy and laughter, that and the imagery was a pretty laughable concept.

A corner of Ziva's mouth pulled up into a small smirk as she said, "You are lying. But I will let you get away with it this time." She gently raised her hand from his arm to his shoulder and started to push lightly urging him to lay back down. He resisted at first until she said, "Come, Tony. Back to sleep. Abby will wake us when there is anything we can do." She leaned up against the head of the futon and pulled Tony the rest of the way down so his head was resting on her shoulder. She wrapped on arm around him and the other was rubbing up and down his arm. "Sleep, Tony. You need sleep." She said lightly just above a whisper. He reached up and placed his hand on top of hers on his arm and held it tightly. She might not be able to get him to talk to her but she could let him know she was there by just being there with him. His eyes fluttered closed and he began to fall asleep, as did Ziva. His sleep filled voice whispered, "Thank you for saving my life Ziva." She looked down at him not knowing what he meant but she smiled and kissed the top of his head, "You are welcome." Then exhaustion overtook them and they slept.


	5. Chapter 5

Okay here is another chapter for you all. Hope you like it. I am still trying to keep the characters in character so to say but I think I might be stretching it a little bit.

**A/N: Don't own Ncis. **

Persistent hands shaking his shoulder woke Tony up. He mumbled something that was unintelligible and tried to roll over but immediately regretted it as his form fell off of the futon he was sleeping on. He landed with a thud and in true fashion shot straight up off the floor in a defensive posture. He took a few moments to collect himself and through sleep weary eyes he found he was in Abby's lab. He let his arms fall at his side and relax looking for the person who woke him up. He turned around and there was Abby, smiling at him her eyebrows raised.

"Gee Tony, glad to see those self-defense classes paying off for ya." Abby said with a laugh. He rolled his eyes at her and shook his head to ward off any lingering lethargy from his sleep. "How long have I been out, Abs?" he said while rubbing his palms into his eyes. She replied, "Just over five hours. Bossman and McGee got back bout an hour ago."

Thoughts flashed back into his mind. Gibbs and McGee were going to the athletic store to see if they could find a lead, and they had been back for over an hour. Frustration and anger began to build inside of him. An hour, they had been back for a whole hour and they didn't wake him. He looked at Abby and his anger diminished slightly, he wouldn't take his anger out on her. He would save it for the people who did this.

"Why didn't anyone wake me?" He said as he turned on his heel and headed for the door. "I was going to Tony, but then Ziva said that this was the first time you slept more than an hour and didn't have a nightmare. She told me to let you get at least an hour more. She's really worried bout you Tony. She slept for like ten minutes when you two were down here then she just kept her eyes on you to make sure you actually slept." Abby said as she hurriedly followed Tony through her lab.

Tony stopped when Abby placed a hand on his shoulder. "You need to talk to her Tony. She's really worried, we all are. And she is already stressed out enough as it is with her boyfriend still in Tel Aviv and I don't think she can keep this up." She felt Tony stiffen as she said the word "boyfriend" and immediately she regretted it.

A million emotions swept through Tony. Anger, rage, confusion, hurt, and jealousy were at the forefront. He thought bitterly to himself that he knew this was going to happen. If you let yourself love someone you run the risk of getting severely hurt. He should have known better. Ziva was an amazing woman. Obviously men would be after her. The thought had never actually occurred to him that by the time he was ready to admit he loved her that someone else would have her. "I can blame my ego for that." He said in his mind. It just isn't fair. This whole week has proven that life isn't fair. No. I am gonna make it fair. I am gonna fight. I am gonna fight tooth and nail. The people responsible for the bombing are gonna pay. I am gonna fight for Ziva. I love her, and I am gonna tell her. Yes it is selfish. I want her to be happy. But I am gonna fight for her. First things first.

"Don't worry Abby. I will talk to her tonight. I promise. Did McGee and the boss find anything at the athletic store?" He asked with renewed purpose. Abby was shocked by his new tone. It was strong and fiery. She answered, "Umm…. Yeah…They found the delivery guy and brought him in for questioning" Tony turned quickly and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks Abs." He said and then he was in the elevator.

Tony quietly entered the observation room and slid up next to the window. Ziva nodded her head at him and smiled. "Glad you finally got some sleep." She said. He gave her his first true genuine smile in days and replied, "Yeah, thanks to you. Just wish you would have gotten some as well." She shrugged and turned her attention back into the interrogation room. Tony followed suit.

Seated on the other side of the small desk in the room was an average looking man. Nothing about him appeared out of place at all. He looked like the kind of person you could meet and have a conversation with and then forget him just as quickly. Light blond hair, average height and build, nothing special. The only way a person could tell he was hiding something was the fact that he was amazingly calm. He didn't jump when Gibbs yelled, he didn't look intimidated when Gibbs invaded his personal space. The only thing that even gave the impression that he was slightly annoyed with his time here was he jumped slightly when Gibbs pounded on the table. The man began to fidget after that. Gibbs picked up the file folder and walked out of the room.

A few seconds later he joined them in the observation room. "Glad to see you finally make an appearance DiNozzo." Gibbs said as he joined Ziva and Tony by the glass. "He's hiding something Boss." Tony said.

"You think DiNozzo?" was Gibbs' sarcastic reply. "Give him a few more hours in there and he'll break." Gibbs said.

Tony stared at the man in the other room and thought hard at what would make the man crack besides time. He thought about how the man jumped when Gibbs struck the table and began to fidget afterwards. All he needed were a few more jolts and he would be spilling his guts. A smile formed on his face as a thought popped into his head.

"Boss, you think I could have a go at him? I'm pretty sure I can get him to crack." Tony said with a glint in his eye. Gibbs stared at his younger agent trying to gauge whether or not to let him into the room. With the way he has been acting lately he just wasn't sure that letting him in the same room with the guy who had delivered the fatal bomb was knockout idea. Tony could sense his boss's hesitation and said, "I won't hurt him boss. Trust me." Gibbs gave him one last piercing glance and said, "Don't make me regret this." He then nodded.

Tony's smile got bigger and said, "Ziva, I need to borrow some things." Ziva's eyes widened at his request and looked to Gibbs. He nodded and she relinquished the items. Tony gave her his thanks and slapped McGee on his shoulder and said," McGee, with me." Tim jumped from his chair in front of the monitors and followed Tony out of the room with a puzzled expression on his face.

Ziva and Gibbs watched the room for a few minutes when the door flew open and crashed against the wall with a loud bang. Tony rushed into the room while McGee was holding him from behind. The man in the chair jumped at the sight of the man coming towards him in a dangerous rush. McGee finally pulled Tony back to the doorway of the room. Ziva shot a look of pure shock and concern towards Gibbs when she noticed he started to smile and let a small chuckle escape his lips.

McGee got in front of Tony and said excitedly, "Tony, this isn't a good idea. I mean you were there when the bomb went off. It's a miracle you are even alive. I can't let you in there, you'd kill him." Tony visible calmed himself and said in a whisper that he knew the seated man could hear, "Come on McGee, five minutes. Just five minutes. No one has to know. I turned off all the equipment in the other room, no one will even know we were here." McGee pretended to contemplate the idea and looked at the man in the room and relaxed his grip on Tony. He straightened up and said, "Fine Tony, five minutes, but hand over your gun." Tony did as he was asked and began to walk into the room before McGee placed a restraining hand on his chest and said, "All of them Tony, and the knives." Tony cast a disparaging look at Tim and then finally began to give up all of the weapons he had gotten from Ziva. The man still in the interrogation room was frightened and now he looked it. His eye's had widened with every item of death that Tony handed over to McGee.

McGee with his arms loaded with the deadly arsenal looked back at the man and mouthed, "Sorry and goodbye." Tony walked into the room as McGee shut the door behind him.

Tony paced in front of the man. "What's your name again?" He asked. The man shifted nervously and said, "Mark…Mark Logan." "Well, Mark, do you mind if I call you Mark?" Tony said and he waited for the man until he nodded his head. Tony started again with, "Well Mark, you ever have a near death experience?" Mark's look of worry now had the added element of confusion as he answered, "N-no."

Tony chuckled at this and said, "Oh, poor Mark. You haven't realized it yet but this is your near death experience. See, depending on the answers I get from you is how we are gonna see how near death you get before I leave. Could be all the way or just close." Tony looked at his watch and let a small whistle out. "Only got a little over four minutes left Mark. Lets start with the questions shall we?" Tony walked behind the man and placed his hands on Marks shoulders, squeezing hard enough for the man to wince. "Who made the bombs?" Tony asked. "I-I-I don't know what your talking about." Was Marks nervous reply. Tony quickly slammed his fist down on the table and whispered into Marks ear, "Wrong answer." Tony grabbed Marks hand and placed it on the table with his fingers outstretched as Tony placed his hand on top of it and applied pressure to he could not remove it. "You know Mark I wish you wouldn't have made me do this. You know I gotta biker friend of mine who gave me just the niftiest belt a few years ago. See look." Tony said as he removed the knife concealed there. He held it in front of Marks face for a second before changing his grip on Marks hand so he was painfully holding his wrist. Marks eyes flashed from the knife to Tony's face and back to the knife. Panic swept through him. He knew this agent would follow through on his threats. As the knife in Tony's hand started down its downward arc toward Mike's hand he yelled, "OKAY! Okay, I will tell you want you want to know. Please just don't hurt me. Please." Tony released his grip on Marks hand and replaced the knife at his waist.

Tony took a seat on the other side of the table from a visible shaken Mark. "Okay Mark, now that I have your undivided attention. Why did you plant the bomb?" Mark who was still very visible scared of Tony replied, "T-They paid me…fifty grand." Tony took out a small notepad from his jacket pocket and began writing. "Who paid you Mark?" He asked. "Ryan Johnson. Guy I knew from high school. I hadn't seen him in years until I saw him a few weeks ago at a bar in Georgetown. Started talking about the old days. Met up with him a few times since then."

"What can you tell about this guy?" Tony asked scribbling on his notepad again. "I don't know. Like I said I ain't seen him since high school. We ran around together got into some trouble." "What kinda trouble?" Tony asked. Mark sighed, "You know little things. Shoplifting. Breaking curfew. Stuff like that."

Tony looked sharply at Mark, "So your high school buddy you haven't seen in years shows up. You talk about the old days, have a few beers. You hook up now and again and he just offers you fifty grand to plant a bomb and you just take it?" Mark let a look of fear cross his face because he thought Tony was going to get violent on him again. "I-I-I needed the money. That's all."

Tony stopped writing in his pad and the pencil in his hand snapped. His hands were shaking as he put the pad away. He stood slowly and began walking towards the door. "You are lucky that my boss is in the other room or so help me you wouldn't be getting out of here unless it was in a body bag." Tony said in the most dangerous voice Mark had ever heard. Mark relaxed as Tony left the room thanking his maker that Leroy Jethro Gibbs was in the other room.

Later in the Bullpen

"Got something Boss!" McGee said excitedly as he pressed the remote and a mans drivers license and other documents popped up onto the plasma between his and Tony's desk. Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva came to stand in front of the plasma.

"You need an invitation McGee?" Gibbs said after a few moments with no new information forthcoming.

"Umm…no Boss. Ryan Johnson. Thirty Four. Has three priors for B and E, was sent to prison for killing a guy while he was robbing his house. Last known address was in Georgetown before he went to prison. Ummm…released last year. No record of him since." McGee said as he stood to join the others.

Gibbs took in the information and looked to Tony. "DiNozzo…" He began before the younger agent cut him off. "Put out a B.O.L.O. on Johnson and talk to his P.O. on it Boss." Tony finished as he scurried to his desk eager to bring the man in. Gibbs turned to Ziva, "Ziva…" Again he was interrupted as she supplied for him, "Check last known addresses and speak to friends and family members who may know where he is." She turned towards her desk to begin her assignment. "McGee…" Gibbs said. "Ummm…I could check his financial records to see where he's been?" McGee said. "Do it." Gibbs said as he turned and headed for what must have been his fifteenth coffee of the day.


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay umm a new chapter is up. Not sure about how this ended but i had to get the whole Tony Ziva thing out there for them to deal with. Umm not sure how in character it is but hopefully i am not too off. I dont have a beta so all mistakes are mine and just to let you know I think i kinda repeated myself a few times in Zivas dialoge. sorry.**

**A/N: Dont own NCIS**

**3:00 am Bullpen**

Ziva and McGee sat at their desks, barely staying awake and fighting off the drowsiness that permeated them. Ziva was going through files checking obscure family members and friends of Ryan Johnson gathering numbers to call at a more decent hour. McGee was typing at his keyboard finding any and all financial information and cross-referencing the data with maps trying to figure out if there was a pattern that would give any clue or indication as to his whereabouts.

Taking a small break to stretch her legs Ziva stood from her desk and walked over to Tony's. She had wondered where he had gone. He had made a phone call two hours ago and left in a hurry telling Gibbs that he might have something. She absently ran her fingers over the top of his desk and began to play with his letter opener, deftly spinning it between her fingers.

McGee noticed what she was up to and asked, "Ziva, you okay?" She responded, "I am fine, McGee. I was just thinking of something." "What were you thinking about?" he asked cautiously not sure he wanted to know. She gently placed the letter opener back on the desk and walked to her desk. "Nothing. It is unimportant." She said. McGee frowned at her but knew better than to dig any deeper. He had seen Tony attempt to do the same and have mild success but his and Ziva's dynamic would never be at the same level as Tony and her.

She sat back down at her desk the same thoughts still pumping through her mind. Him laying in her arms down in the lab. Her brushing her fingers through his hair and whispering soothing words to him while he slept. She told herself that it was just her concern for him. That he needed someone there even if they didn't talk about anything just her presence seemed to calm him. That was why she did it. Wasn't it? Yes that was it. It was nothing else. They were friends and friends help each other in times of need.

But there was something nagging in the back of her mind that she couldn't place. She thought of Tony throughout the years she had known him, he had grown so much. At first she just regarded him as an overgrown immature child. And she was right but after knowing him she began to find it slightly endearing. Now it seemed that he had for lack of a better term grown up, he still had his immature side yes but it was more tempered. The interoffice bickering had always been there but he was more aware of his teams' moods and didn't pick on them when they were down, instead he would recruit them to harass the others. When Ziva and McGee were having a hard day and Gibbs was pissed he would take the brunt of his anger instead of directing it their way. He had always shown complete loyalty to Gibbs and Abby but now it began to encompass McGee and herself as well. A little too overprotective if you asked her. But something in their dynamic had changed. He was growing and she liked that. He was becoming the man she knew he could be and that was frustrating her but she didn't know why. "Why am I getting upset?" she asked herself in a whisper.

"What was that officer David?" Gibbs asked as he walked past her desk just returning from MTAC. His words shook her from her reverie. "Oh, nothing Gibbs." She answered to his questioning glare. "What have you got?" He asked to the bullpen in general. McGee was the first one to speak to his demanding question, "Got nothing boss. I can trace everything up until he went to prison, but then nothing when he got out. Bank account and credit cards are still active though and I have it set if he uses either we'll be alerted right away." Gibb's brow furrowed in a frown then turned to Ziva. "I have a compiled a list of known associates and family. I have called almost the whole list but will finish when it is a more decent time tomorrow. Last know address no longer exists. It was bulldozed 6 months ago and is now a parking garage. The people I contacted said they had not heard or seen from him since before he went to prison and I am checking all phone records from the prison to see in any calls were made from or to the numbers on the list." Ziva answered. He nodded at her and turned to DiNozzo's desk waiting for his answers. Noticing her wasn't there he looked at Ziva and McGee who had gotten up and stood before his desk while reciting their research. "Where is DiNozzo?!" Gibbs asked forcefully. McGee stuttered over his response until Ziva cut him off, "He left two hours ago after making a phone. He said he might have a lead and would be back in a few."

Gibbs look could have frozen lava as he leveled a stare at the two agents in front of him. "And you two let him go by himself?!" Gibbs yelled. He did not wait for an answer but continued yelling, "McGee, get him on the phone!" McGee scrambled back to his desk and began dialing. "And the next time he tries to go anywhere alone while working this case you go with him!" While he said the last sentence he stared straight at Ziva. Gibb's phone began ringing. He quickly snatched it up and barked into the phone, "Gibbs!" He listened for a moment before standing up and heading to the stairs to MTAC. As he walked by Ziva on the way she asked in a quiet voice, "Are you worried about Tony too?" Gibbs kept walking while replying over his shoulder, "No David, I am worried for the bastards we're looking for if DiNozzo catches them alone! I want him back here when I get back." And with that he climbed the stairs.

**3:36 am Bullpen**

Gibbs trotted back down the stairs and into the bullpen looking pointedly at Tony's desk. "MCGEE? Where is DiNozzo?" He yelled.

McGee stuttered, "I…I just got off the phone with him boss. He just pulled into the parking lot a few minutes ago and should be here any second." Gibbs just nodded at him and McGee felt a wave of relief pass over him at the fact that his boss's ire was no longer directed at him.

Gibbs sat at his desk and opened one of the many file folders that sat there. He began to read as he waited for his senior field agent to return with what was hopefully good news. A few moments passed until he heard the telltale _ding_ of the elevator.

DiNozzo strolled into the bullpen holding a file folder in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He flashed a smile at Ziva as he walked straight up to Gibbs' desk.

"Where you been DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked icily as he stared hard at the younger man.

Tony knew that Gibbs was in a foul mood but smugly smiled at him anyway hoping that the new information he found might calm the ex-marines anger, "Talked to Johnson's P.O. boss. After he was released from prison Johnson apparently wanted to change his name. Seems while in prison he converted to Islam. P.O. gave me a last known address and the place where he was working. P.O. didn't know what Johnson's new name was however, last time he met him he was still going by Johnson. Ran over to a friend of mine at the social security office and found out his new name." Tony placed the file of Gibbs desk and continued talking while he turned to all members of the team. "Muhammad al Shaleed." He said to the room at large.

Gibbs looked at the file that Tony had given him. He glanced up at Tony with a wry smile, "That's good work Tony." He got up off his chair and began around it towards the stairs. The large smile on Tony's face quickly vanished as he was on the receiving end of one of Gibbs' slaps. Gibbs invaded Tony's personal space and went nose to nose with him and whispered, "Next time you leave this office on anything related to this case you take Ziva with you. I don't care if it's to get coffee across the street. You got me?" Tony responded with a, "Yes Boss." With that Gibbs took a step back and nodded before heading up the stairs to MTAC to update all the agency heads that were working this case with them. From the top of the stairs they heard Gibbs yell, " Go home, all of you. Back here 9 o'clock tomorrow morning."

Tony didn't argue for once about not staying and walked back to his desk he could feel Ziva's eyes on him. He cast a quick glance in her direction and noticed she turned away quickly. He let out a large sigh as he began packing his things. McGee and Ziva were doing the same. McGee was moving very quickly hoping to get at least four good hours of sleep in his own bed. Ziva was packing slowly, she had something she wanted to ask Tony but wanted McGee to be gone before she did, even though she didn't know what she wanted to ask him. Her mind raced with questions. The biggest of these was what had changed between them. Maybe it was just her who felt this but she had to know if he felt it too. Something was different between them over the last few weeks. It didn't feel like something was wrong it just felt…off. And she had to know what that might be.

McGee quickly finished with bagging his stuff and walked quickly to the elevator saying his good-byes to Tony and Ziva.

Tony and Ziva finished packing their things and she walked with him to the elevator. As they stood next to each other waiting for the doors to open he looked down at her and said, "So, you're my new babysitter huh?" She cast a puzzled look up at him and he continued, "Gibbs says I can't go anywhere with out you anymore. Thinks he knows something we don't?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her and she rolled her eyes. "Yes Tony, Gibbs knows you get into way to much trouble by yourself."

Tony laughed and smiled down at her, "Well at least I get you to make sure I don't get into trouble. I could be saddled with McGee." Tony shivered with those words and Ziva let out a small chuckle.

She bit her lower lip in thought on how to ask him but when she opened her mouth to speak the doors to the elevator opened. She closed her mouth quickly and decided when they were alone in the elevator she would pull a classic Gibbs and hit the emergency stop. They would have privacy and she could get to the bottom of their problem, at least from her point of view. She walked into the elevator side by side with Tony and she positioned herself in front of the controls. She pressed the lobby button and waited until the elevator started to move before she hit the kill switch.

Tony was slightly worried and concerned when Ziva hit the kill button. He didn't know if he had done anything to make her mad in the past few hours and he knew she would never really hurt him, but the prospect of being hurt a little was still prevalent in his mind. He said, "Um…Ziva. This isn't the lobby." She turned and glared at him. "This is not a good situation for me." He thought to himself. "Look, um…if I made you mad at all today I didn't mean it. I swear." He said in an apologetic manner. She smiled and shook her head at him. "You did not make me mad today Tony. I just wanted to talk to you in private." She said.

Tony smiled at her once he realized he wasn't in trouble and said, "Okay. So…here we are in an elevator. Quarter to four in the morning. No one is around and no one is going to be using the elevator for at least another hour. And you look quite sexy in your cargo pants and I am looking ruggedly handsome as usual." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and gave a big smile, "What you wanna talk bout?"

She shook her head and sighed loudly wondering if this was such a good idea after all. She steeled her nerves and asked, "What is different between us?" He looked at her in puzzlement. "What do you mean exactly, Ziva?" She shook her head and her hands flew up in the air, "This. Me. You. There is something different. Everything seems the same but something is off. I know it and it is nagging me in the back of my mind and my gut but I do not know what it is and I need to know so we can fix it."

His mind flashed in panic quickly thinking that she knew how he felt about her. But if that were the case the conversation would have been completely different he thought. He had made his mind earlier to tell her everything but now that the situation is right here he didn't know if he could just come right out and say it. No. He would poke and prod until he found a way to explain that would be easier to say.

"Okay, calm down Zi. Now can you tell me exactly how things have changed?" He figured he would throw that out just to see if she was hinting at anything in particular. She began pacing in the small room and before she knew what she was saying she began to rant, "You…you have changed. You were an immature little boy when I met you and now you are…different. You are nicer to McGee and I and take all of Gibbs anger to spare us. You defend McGee and I and are overprotective of us especially me for some reason. You are changing Tony and it is a good thing but it is frustrating as hell!"

Tony was taken aback by her rant and when he caught up he asked, "Why is that frustrating Zi?"

"I…I don't know. And that makes me angry that I do not know the answer." She stopped pacing as she said this and turned to Tony who was now leaning up against the wall watching her. She exhaled a large breath and asked him, "Why are you changing Tony? What was the impetus for this?" Her eyes were begging for an answer and he was gauging his response.

He sighed to himself and thought, "I'll be honest with her. She needs to know so bad so I'll tell her." He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. The case, the little girl, and now this, he was getting more tired by the second. Without opening his eyes he said, "You really wish to know?"

She scoffed at him for asking a question to which he already knew the answer, "Yes Tony, I wish to know."

In a firm and even tone he replied, "Careful what you wish for." She looked at him, puzzled by his statement. He continued in more relaxed tone, "See I met a girl a few years ago. Not my usual type but oh my god is she gorgeous. Great sense of humor. Brilliant. Only other word I can find to describe her is…perfect I guess. We eventually became friends and it was great, you know. Not having to be something your not to impress her just being completely comfortable with them." He looked down at her and he continued. "Then one day, I don't know how or why it happened my feelings for her started to change. Subtly at first but then more and more I started to fall for her. And then one day I asked her a question in a joking yet serious kinda way. You know what her response was?" He asked her. She looked at him quizzically shaking her head no and wondering what girl he was talking about that had captivated him so. She thought she would have heard of her before now. He continued with his story, "She said she could never date someone who wasn't a grown up. Well I'm kinda paraphrasing there but still. And then when I was at sea I kept hearing her say that over and over in my head. And I told myself that it was time to grow up. Not all the way mind you. So little by little I started changing. After a while I finally figured out that I was happier for it."

"Basically in a nutshell, she makes me want to be a better man." He finished as he leaned past her to flip the emergency switch back on. She took in all that had said to her. She could not believe that Tony was so entranced by a woman that he would change himself and actually be happier for it. Whoever this woman is she must be quite something. At that thought something pained her in the back of her mind. What was that jealousy? No. Maybe. "Well…" She thought, "Any woman would be jealous of a girl that could get Anthony DiNozzo to make the changes he did without even asking. Tony sharing this story with her really touched her and she hoped that this woman would really see that Tony was making an effort and give him a shot.

They reached the lobby and before they got out she asked, "I think you should tell her this Tony. This woman. You need to tell her and if she does not return your feelings she is a stupid, stupid woman." Tony started laughing hard before straightening up. He chuckled as he said, "I don't think you should call her a stupid woman, Zi." She looked at him with a grin on her face, "Why not?" He quickly leaned in and brushed his lips against hers before he told her in a serious voice, "You should never call yourself stupid."

He turned and left the elevator and she stood rooted to her spot completely and utterly shocked. After a moment of walking he turned and began walking backward through the lobby and waved at her as the elevator doors closed


	7. Chapter 7

**I wanna say thanks to all of you who reviewed. Seems you all like this story so far and i hope i dont disappoint with this chapter. I dont think it's that great but then again I wrote it at 2 in the morning after a night at the bar so, sorry.**

**A/N: Dont own any of NCIS.**

The door to the apartment slammed shut. The coat and backpack were thrown into a corner unceremoniously. Shoes were kicked off down the hall. Ziva leaned against the door to her apartment and slid down until she was resting on the ground. She was lightly banging the back of her head against the door.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid woman." She said to herself. Her mind raced with thoughts. "He kissed you, he kissed you and basically admitted that he was in love with you. And what do you do? You stand there like an invalid." She thought angrily to herself.

But what else should she have done? Her mind raced with different ideas on how she could have or should have handled the situation but she kept coming to the same conclusion…I have no idea.

Should I be angry? Should I be happy? A thought popped into her head at that time and she let out an audible groan into the silence of the apartment. Things are forever going to be different now no matter what. He had finally stepped over that invisible line that they had kept in place for years. The flirting the banter the veiled threats were all in place and as long as they hid behind them they knew where they stood with each other. But now that he had pretty much ran over the line, walked back to it, stomped on it a few times, then continued running how was this going to affect them?

Her mind drifted back to the conversation she and Tony had had that started this whole mess.

_She was sitting at her desk looking over some case files. The bullpen was quiet which either meant that Tony wasn't there or he was actually working. She cast a quick glance in his direction noticing that he turned his head quickly towards his computer._

_She kept looking at him until he turned his head back towards her and he smiled knowing that he had been caught. "Yes Tony? Can I help you with something?" She asked. His smile got bigger as he asked, "Why do you ask, Officer David?" She replied, "Well you keep looking at me every five minutes. Is there something on my face?" She wiped her hand across her face wondering if any lunch was still present._

_He chuckled and said, "No, your face is good." She picked up the case report again and looked back at him. "Well then?" He looked thoughtful for a moment then said, "Oh nothing. Hey what you doing tonight David?"_

_She looked at him curiously, "Why do you ask, Tony?" He shrugged his shoulders as he replied, "Just making conversation." She smirked and thought of the best way to torture him. She replied, "I have a very special evening planned, Tony. Wine, candles, and a man that I am beginning to enjoy curled up on my couch together."_

_As she described her evening Tony got a look on his face she had not seen before as he asked, "Who's the lucky guy, Ziva?" She smiled a dazzling smile and said, "Samuel Clemens. I did not like him at first but now I find him very…enjoyable."_

_Tony looked crestfallen until he heard McGee chuckling to himself. Now his ire was directed towards him. "And just what is so funny McGeek?" He snapped out at the younger agent. McGee just shook his head and turned towards Ziva. "Don't worry Ziva. I find him just as enjoyable."_

_Tony shot an exasperated glance between Ziva and McGee. Ziva began to chuckle to herself at Tony obvious lack of knowledge of American Literature. Finally she stopped her laughing at Tony's ignorance and decided that she would just tell him so he would quit pouting. "Samuel Clemens is best known as Mark Twain, Tony. Abby gave me one of his books and that is my plan for the evening. Reading." She said while still smiling at Tony._

_He held up his hand in defeat, "Yeah, yeah, okay you got me." They all returned back to their work. A few moments later Tony asked Ziva, "So, let me get this straight. It's Friday night and we have the whole weekend off for a change, and your going to spend it reading?"_

_She shrugged her shoulders and looked back to the case report in her hand while she asked, "What else should I be doing, Tony?" He thought for a moment and a large smile graced his face as he said, "Well you could go out on the town with a devilishly handsome charming rogue like me."_

_She chuckled to herself and replied, "Thank you but no. I prefer my men to be a little more mature and sophisticated. Not a perpetual sixteen year old trapped in a mans body."_

_Gibbs came into the bullpen and said, "Come on, Abby's got something for us." He continued walking towards the elevator while everyone rushed to join him._

_Tony didn't say a word that wasn't case related the rest of the night._

She got up off the floor and slowly walked to her bedroom. She was exhausted and all she wanted to do was sleep but her mind wouldn't let her. She stripped down and walked into her adjoining bathroom and started the shower. She put her hand into the stream of spraying water testing the heat of it. Satisfied it was hot enough to endure but not burn her she slowly stepped into the tub and into the spraying water. She took a quick breath in at the shock of the hot water on her body. She quickly washed and rinsed her body and hair and then stood under the hot deluge hoping that it would relax her enough to sleep. She stood there for a good twenty minutes until the water had turned from excessive heat to lukewarm.

She turned off the water and quickly dried herself with a towel from the rack and wrapped another one around her hair. She made her way to the bedroom and put on a pair of boy shorts and an old NCIS T-shirt.

She took the towel from around her head and dried her hair as best she could before throwing the towel in to the hamper by the bathroom door. She pulled the covers back on the bed and slide into the cool sheets.

She was more relaxed lying in bed but her mind still whirled at the enormity of Tony's confession. She looked at her clock and sighed when she noticed the time. "No run for me today." She said to herself. She reset the alarm on the clock for a seven a.m.

Her exhaustion was finally getting the best of her and she started falling into a fitful sleep. The last thought that ran through her mind was, "Do I like him too?"

**Next morning 8:58 a.m.**

Tony was pacing in the elevator. He had only had two hours of sleep and he knew he looked like crap but he was anxious. He knew Ziva would be acting differently today and he wondered exactly how different it was going to be. He thought to himself that he never should have opened his mouth about the whole thing. But she had him cornered and he didn't want to lie to her, not anymore.

He had thought and rethought everything that happened last night until the wee hours of the morning and had come up with the conclusion that the ball was in her court. He said what he said and now had to deal with the ramifications that were undoubtedly to come.

When he finally did fall to sleep he was awoken by the image of the girls eyes in his mind. Those two orbs piercing into his own. He lay there for an hour after that trying to remember the last time he slept without having any nightmares. He realized the only time since the bombing was when he and Ziva slept in Abby's lab. That had a lot of implications that he didn't want to think about at the moment.

But not only was he nervous about Ziva but the information he uncovered the night before might lead them to somewhere. With a new name came new leads to follow. And even though he was worried about Ziva's reaction to his confession, the case was still a top priority for him.

The elevator opened and he quickly walked into the bullpen. He noticed that neither Ziva nor McGee were at their desks. He wondered if they were late or if they had come in gotten a lead and left again. He threw his backpack into the corner and placed his firearm into the top left drawer of his desk. Turning on his computer he sat down and looked at the stack of papers on his desk.

Gibbs came down the stairs and walked into the bullpen walking by Tony's desk towards his own. "Got anything yet DiNozzo?" he asked as he sat down in his chair. "Umm…I just got in Boss but…no. Not yet." He replied as the older man stared him down. A second or two passed until Tony asked, "Umm Boss? Am I late or early? Where is Ziva and McGee?"

As soon as he finished uttering those words the elevator opened revealing McGee and Ziva walking hurriedly towards the bullpen. When Ziva saw Tony she seemed to hesitate then continued her trek towards her desk. When she was seated she looked up over at Tony and he didn't know what to do so he just smiled his most dazzling smile. She gave a weak smile back and turned to her computer.

The morning past without much conversation which Tony and Ziva were both happy about. McGee was doing searches of Ryan Johnson's alias when he uncovered something. "Boss, I got something." He said loudly so everyone could hear. "This is really big boss." Gibbs stood from his desk and stood behind McGee leaning over his back looking at the computer screen. "What you got McGee?"

McGee began, "I was checking on Johnson's alias and I got a major hit. NCIS has two open cases that have his name attached." He stood and walked to the plasma by his desk and pressed the clicker with Gibbs following and Tony and Ziva joining them. File reports and pictures appeared on the screen. McGee continued, "Seems Johnson's name came up while agents were investigating an arms dealer out of England. The second case is the bigee. His name is brought up in a homegrown terrorist cell called Islamic Dawn." He paused for a moment then finished with, "And boss. Agent Shaw was investigating the terrorist cell and Alonzo and Hallsten were after the arms dealer."

Gibbs took in the information and took a step back. Three of the four agents who died all had Johnson under suspicion for something and now all three of them were dead. Now we know why they were targeted. He needed more information on the files of the fallen agents. He started walking towards the stairs and he declared angrily, "I want all the information you three can get on both those reports and Johnson by the time I get back!" And with that he climbed the stairs to MTAC.

**Two hours later**

Gibbs stormed back into the bullpen yelling, "DiNozzo what you got?" Tony stood up quickly at his boss's words and began reciting the info that he had uncovered. He said, "Oh your gonna love this boss, Islamic Dawn founded three years ago by a group of ex-cons who converted to Islam in prison just like Johnson. Started out as an advocacy group to stop the war in Iraq. Guess they got tired of no one listening to them though boss and they are suspected in four deaths of American soldiers in the last two years. From what I can get from Shaw's files she thought they might be planning something a little bit bigger than a few American soldiers boss."

"Like what DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked irritably. "Um…not sure boss. No clear indications but in her notes she said that Alonzo and Hallsten might be able to help her uncover some more. I'm thinking that Johnson was the go between for Hallsten and Alonzo's arms dealer and Shaw's cell. I mean it makes sense."

Gibbs nodded in Tony's direction then turned his attention to Ziva, "Ziva?" She straightened in her chair and began; "Hallsten and Alonzo were working on an arms dealer codenamed Bulldog." Tony chuckled at this and said, "Jeez, do all arms dealers have stupid code names?" Gibbs glared at him and Tony said, "Shutting up boss." Gibbs smirked and nodded for Ziva to continue. "From what they could gather Bulldog is working out of London and is responsible for equipping insurgents in Iraq as well as militia's all throughout Africa. The name Muhammed Al Shaleed came up as a possible buyer."

She continued, "I believe Tony is correct." She glanced at Tony then back to Gibbs. "Johnson must have been the go between for the two groups. But my question is who ordered the deaths the dealer or did the cell just take it upon themselves?" she asked.

"Not just that Ziva." McGee piped up and all heads turned to look at him. "How did either know exactly who was investigating them?" He asked.

"Someone told em McGee." Gibbs said as he stormed back to his desk. "McGee you got an address and phone number for Johnson's alias?" McGee nodded. "Good, get Balboa and Jensens teams doing surveillance on both. I wanna know where he goes, how he goes, and why he goes. Gets taps on his phone too." McGee nodded and picked up his phone. "Tony, Ziva. I want you on the arms dealer. Find everything you can. I don't care who you have to call to do it. FBI, CIA I don't care. Just get me something." Tony and Ziva both sat at their desks and began working quickly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay umm just to let you all know i havent seen every episode yet so if michael is in any of them and he isnt like he is portrayed here, my bad. Also I did use one term in here people might not like and if you are affended i apologise already. This chapter is mostly about Ziva coming to grips with things, kinda needed it to happen before anything else goes forward, so sorry. more case next chapter. **

**A/N: Dont own NCIS or anything connected to it. But hopefully will be buying on of the seasons soon.**

**9:00 p.m. Bullpen**

The bullpen was quiet while the agents were working. Tony had been on the phone for over an hour talking quietly to whoever was on the other end. Ziva was poring over the files that had been collected on the bulldog. McGee was busy in MTAC arranging for all surveillance video from Jensen's and Balboa's team to be streamed in live. Gibbs was at his desk drinking his ever-present coffee and working on his infernal computer that wouldn't do what he wanted fast enough.

The atmosphere in the room was oppressive. Not a word had been uttered that was not case related or a demand to find information faster. The usual light manner in which his agents seemed to work in was sorely missed by all.

Tony and Ziva cast quick glances at one another all night but never lingered beyond a few fleeting moments. Tony was sure that he had irrevocably destroyed not only his chances with his partner but his partnership as well. He needed to talk to her badly. But what should he say? _Look I know I screwed everything up but I won't take back what I said because I meant every word of it. Yeah, that'll work. _And what about her boyfriend? _Oh god. Even if she did have feelings for me what about him? I know I want to fight for her, but what if she just plain and simple doesn't want me?_ _You're an idiot DiNozzo. You based all this on the thinking that she has feelings for you. How are you supposed to fight for her when she doesn't want you to? Well I am just gonna have to figure out if she does have any feelings towards me at all. Then I will know how to proceed._

Tony said good bye to the person on the phone finally hearing what he wanted to hear after coercing them for over an hour. "Gotta meeting in the morning to get some information on Bulldog boss." He said, speaking so Gibbs could hear his voice. "And who are you meeting with, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked. "Umm…a friend from MI-5." Tony answered sheepishly. Gibbs nodded understanding that Tony could say no more about it. Ziva looked up from her reports to look at Tony with a puzzled look on her face and asked, "How do you know someone from MI-5?" Tony shrugged his shoulders and said, "You don't think that I am the only federal agent in the 007 chatroom do you?" Ziva let a small chuckle escape as she said, "Actually, I thought you would be the only one in the chatroom." Tony cast her a small smirk.

Gibbs looked at Ziva and asked, "Got anything new David?" She quickly cast her gaze back at the stack of papers in front of her. She shook her head sadly and said, "Sorry Gibbs, I have not found any new information on Bulldog except for what we already knew."

Gibbs nodded. After a few minutes he said to his team, "All right, go home. We'll pick it up fresh in the morning. Tony I hope your friend has some good Intel and you didn't waste an hour talking to him for nothing." With that he got up from his desk and headed for the stairs to MTAC hoping that McGee and the surveillance teams had something.

After Gibbs left Tony and Ziva stared at each other for a few moments until finally breaking away to gather their belongings and power down their computers. When that was done they stood facing each other across the bullpen. Tony wanted to say many things but couldn't find the right words. Ziva looked just as hesitant. Tony found the words and opened his mouth to speak but Ziva quickly cut in saying, "I have to go." She turned and headed for the elevator. Tony followed right on her heels and said, "Ziva, I think we need to talk." She shook her head and kept staring at the elevator doors. Tony was getting frustrated and said, "Listen Ziva I think we really need to talk about this." She shook her head again and said, "Tony, I…I agree we need to talk. But I need some time to take all this in and…just give me time." With that said the elevator doors opened and she walked in and pressed the button for the ground floor. Tony looked at with an understanding smile and said, "Okay Zi. Take your time. I'll still be here when you are ready." She looked up at him and said, "Thank you Tony." The elevator doors closed taking her to think about things and left Tony standing in the hallway.

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Ziva opened the door to her apartment and quickly walked inside. The familiar surroundings were comforting to her in her current state. She placed her keys in the small change dish and took of her shoes and set them side by side on the little mat. She hung up her coat and placed her pack by the door.

She walked into her kitchen and grabbed a bottle of red wine and a small glass. She walked to the living room and settled herself into comfortable position on the couch while still in easy reach of the wine and glass on the coffee table next to her.

She let her mind drift before reeling it back in to really think about what had happened now that the initial shock of it all had passed. She thought of Tony and all their times together. She smiled when she remembered all the shared pranks on McGee, and the lively banter that they kept up between them. Then the smile deepened when she remembered all the times that they had actually had serious conversations. Her face turned red when she remembered their time as undercover assassins. Then the things that he had done for her. When they were undercover he made sure they beat him and not her, and then made the deal that got her out of the room while he faced a probable death. Every time that she had diffused a bomb he had stayed with her. Whenever someone would hit on her our vice versa he would get jealous and make some comment. The attraction between them had been there and the flirting was always nice. The small remarks the give and take of small jibes. She did like him. If she really thought about it she liked him before he started changing. But now that he had, her like had begun to grow. That was the nagging in the back of her mind. She was falling in love with him and didn't even know it.

Well now she knew that but what about all the other things that would doom a relationship with him before it even started. It would take a very strong man to be in a lasting relationship with her. She was set in her ways and although change in the field or change in Mossad was natural and most often a needed element, change in her personal life was not something she enjoyed. She needed a very strong person, someone who could put up with the guns under the pillows and other strategic places around her apartment. Someone who could deal with the fact that she had a past that would give most people nightmare if they lived through half of it. Then there was Michael. He was a very strong man from the same background as her. He had been there with her in Mossad and knew some of the things she had done and instead of being repelled by them considered her a hero for serving her country. He was handsome and charming. And he made her happy, although he was in Tel Aviv and she was in D.C. their long distance relationship seemed to be working. How could she throw the happiness that she had found in him away for her feelings for Tony?

Another thought popped into her mind. This was Tony! He had changed a little yes, and he said it was for her but still the lingering doubts of his womanizing had her worried. He had played the field so much over the years that his little black book must look like half the yellow pages. He quoted movie lines all day and always had some sarcastic remark when none was called for. He would pick on people and make fun of them for apparently no reason other than to amuse himself; he had gotten better but still old habits die-hard. He constantly needed to be the center of attention and took credit for other people's work. How could he be taken seriously half the time? He was an excellent investigator and extremely intelligent so why did he play the fool all the time? Why did he downplay himself?

Ziva started to get a headache from her mind working way to hard and the wine did not seem to be helping.

How could she possibly be in love with Tony? She smiled again as those thoughts rushed her at once. He was smart, charming, funny, and sexy. And he has shown much deeper sides to himself. He cared so much about everyone around him but never let them know it. He took everything upon himself. All the blame, guilt and anger about Jenny's death and Jeanne and Renee Benoit.

"I love the retard." She said to herself. She took a drink from her wine and was interrupted as the phone started to ring. She reached behind her to the small table beside her couch that held the phone and a small lamp. She grabbed the phone and pressed the talk button without looking at the caller I.D. before pressing it to her ear. "Hello." She said into the phone. "Shalom, my sweet." Was heard from the other end. Michael. "Oh, Shalom Michael. How are you?" She asked a little nervously. "I am fine neshomeleh, (sweetheart, darling) How are you, you were supposed to call me last night remember?" He said. Her mind raced for an answer, she couldn't tell him that she was too preoccupied by her partner, who she incidentally loves but didn't know it until a few moments ago, told her that he was in love with her. She said, "I am sorry Michael, this case we are working on has me so preoccupied. A bombing of an NCIS, FBI softball game. Four dead." Her voice was reverent and shaking with the remembered feeling that Tony was there when the bomb went off. Michael's voice took on a sympathetic tone; "I am so sorry Ziva. I hope it was none of your friends in the blast." She smiled at hearing the compassion in his voice and responded, "Tony was there but thankfully was not severely injured." "Baruch Hashem (Thank God) for that. But I am sorry that you lost some fellow agents." He said. She nodded her head into the phone and said, "Thank you for saying that Michael." He replied, "You are welcome neshomeleh." Changing subjects he said, "Are you ready for some good news?" She smiled brightly; "I could really use some good news." She could hear a small laugh on the other end of the line, "Well then good because I have some. I will be in D.C. in two weeks. I have to take care of some business at the embassy there and will be staying for a few days."

Panic ran through her. She had just finally figured out her feelings for Tony and could now begin to plan about what to do with the situation, but now with Michael coming how could she do that. She was still with Michael and didn't know if her feelings for Tony would break what she had with him. Her voice sounded distant as she answered him, "That's great. I am glad to hear that." He chuckled slightly on the other end of the phone and said, "Don't sound too excited that your man is flying in from halfway around the world to see you." She quickly admonished herself for her lack of control over her voice. "No, no I am excited. I am glad that you will be here. Just this case is taking up a lot of my time and I don't know how much of it I can spend with you while you are here." She said with what sounded like excited yet disappointment. "It is okay Ziva. I understand. And this case I expect is closer to your heart that others considering Tony was there." Oh how right your are, she thought to herself. "Don't worry. It doesn't matter how much time we spend together as long as we are together." He said. Why did he have to be so nice to her right now? A few voices could be heard in the background and then he said, "I am sorry Ziva I have to go. I will call you next week to let you know when I will be getting in. Lailah Tov (Goodnight) Ziva." She replied, "Lailah Tov Michael." She hung up the phone and placed it back on its cradle. How can two men make her life so damn complicated by telling her the truth and being nice to her? She placed her head in her hands and shook her head, "I am in love with a retard, and a nice assassin, and I have no idea who to choose or how to choose them."


	9. Chapter 9

**Wow I can finally upload now. Well this is kinda shorter than I would like but I didnt want to ramble on and on. As a celebration of the little login glitch being fixed I am going to be posting another small chapter in just a few more minutes. Thanks for the reveiws and I really hope you guys are liking this story. Still trying to work some of the kinks out of my writing style and flushing out the story but hopefully you all like it. It's all for you guys anyway. So without any further ado or gilding the lilly here you go.**

**A/N: Dont own any part of NCIS.**

**8:00 A.M Park overlooking the Anacostia **

Tony sat on the park bench waiting patiently for his friend. He was touched that his friend would hop on the first available flight to D.C. to discuss things with him in person. Obviously the information that his friend had to be something beyond major. He just wanted it to be the kind of information that would send him and his team breaking down doors and start making arrests. The longer this case went on the more pain and guilt he felt. He wanted it to be over; maybe then the nightmares would stop. Talking with Ziva and telling her his feelings had helped but still it just masked the helplessness he felt at not putting an end to the criminals behind the tragedy. He needed it to be over so he could meet the girl he saved and tell her that everything was okay now, and the people who had hurt her and her family could no longer hurt anyone else anymore. He could not wait for that day.

He looked around the park and saw his friend walking towards him. Tony stood and held out his hand to his friend that he had only known in the James Bond Chat room known as _M'sBoss453, _or James Mason in real life. Tony noticed that his friend looked rather tired from his long flight and he quickly shook his hand and offered him a seat on the bench. They sat and looked at each other, each taking in the other. Tony smiled and said, "Your taller than I expected." His friend laughed and replied, "Well your not exactly what I expected either."

James's smile dropped and he said, "You know Tony, when I told you that if you ever needed some help from Mother England, I was thinking more along the lines of telling you which pub to visit. The Bulldog was not exactly what I had in mind." Tony turned his attention towards the river in front of them and said, "Well, like I said on the phone I am sorry to ask this of you, and I really appreciate you coming here to help me with this." Tony turned back to his friend and asked, "So what do you know about this guy?"

James took in a deep breath and turned towards the river. "What I tell you cannot be put into any report. This is between you and me, and this meeting never took place." He said. He turned his attention back to Tony and waited for him to respond which he did with a nod. James nodded and said, "He's a spook as you call them. He is a MI-5 operative."

Tony's jaw dropped but quickly recovered. He shook his head and asked, "What's his assignment? Who's his handler?" James let out a large sigh; "I am his handler. That's why I came in person. Your CIA tried a similar thing with Renee Benoit. Our operation is similar but with large differences. We don't try to regulate the weapons trade, we arrest the buyers not just track them. We set an agent up with a very convincing cover that would hold up under any scrutiny including by that of your CIA. Every one of his clients is tagged with the weapons he buys. We have put 9 terrorist cells out of commission with his help, not to mention we have helped several governments in Africa who are friends of the British and the U.S. governments."

Tony nodded along with his friends' tale, absorbing the information. He then asked, "Where does the Islamic Dawn come into play?" James nodded and returned to staring at the river. He slowly started, "We were contacted two months ago by our backwater channels about the Islamic Dawn. Apparently these guys were looking for arms for quite a long time because they were on the radar of almost every arms dealer in the world. We were close to a deal and were ready to contact your state department when two attempts were made on the Bulldog's life. Apparently the Bulldog had become too successful for another dealers liking. When they failed in their attempts on his life they began talking to the Islamic Dawn. Our negotiations began to break down but we did get one good piece of information, the other dealer sneaking in on us told them that the Islamic Dawn and the Bulldog were under investigation. They would give them the names of who were behind the investigations if they would deal only with them. The Islamic Dawn even tried to sell us the information."

Tony took a deep breath to steady himself, he wondered if they had bought the information and warned them could the attack have been avoided. He pushed the thoughts away and continued with his questions, "Do you know who the other dealer was?" James nodded and turned his head to avoid Tony's eyes.

"We had just found out a few hours before you called me." James looked at his feet. "Your not going to like what I have to say Tony." Tony stared at the side of his friends face not blinking and said, "James, I need to know."

James nodded not taking his eyes off of the running track in front of the bench they sat on. "When we started negotiations someone kept trying to hack into Bulldogs computer files. We back traced it to the CIA. We immediately talked directly to the director of the CIA and he told us he would check into it personally. We heard back from him and he told us that there were no mentions of the Bulldog anywhere in the agency. We were suspicious but kept on as business as usual although more cautiously. We were hacked again and were able to trace it this time to an employee of Axis Trading in Paris. And Axis as you know was a front for Renee Benoit's arms dealing. Now here's the kicker, Axis was bought out earlier this year by Midco Trading and Shipping owned by one Adrienne Mercen." James reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small manila envelope and handed it to Tony as he said, "I believe you know him by another name though."

Tony opened the envelope and pulled out a single picture. His eyes burned with unbridled anger as realization sunk in as to whom the picture was of. "Trent Kort." He spat the words out.

James nodded and said, "Seems as though Kort is taking over Benoit's organization for real. We contacted the CIA and we were informed that they lost contact with him some months ago and his control officer turned up dead two weeks ago." He sighed and continued, "Kort's gone rogue as is taking out competitors when he can and when he can't he steals their clients with information gathered from his CIA contacts under the guise that they are crucial to his investigations. All CIA contacts and personnel are now under strict orders to turn in Kort if he contacts them."

Tony clenched and unclenched his fist remembering the last time he had seen Kort and punched him. He tried to calm himself as much as he could and managed to quell the rage that was making his arms shake. Tony flinched when he felt James's hand on his shoulder. He let the anger ebb so he could make sense when he spoke. He told James, "I am going to kill him." The cold fire James saw in his eyes sent a small shudder through his spine. He quickly covered his unease at his friends' words and said, "Then I can help."

James stood and pulled a small piece of paper out of his inside coat pocket. He held it out to Tony who took it with trembling hands. "Got a tip from our surveillance of Islamic Dawn members. Deals going down at nine o'clock tonight. That's the address." Tony read the paper and placed it into his pocket along with the envelope that had Kort's picture in it. He stood and clasped his friend's hand while saying, "Thank you James. You're a good friend and are my personal 007." James let out a small chuckle and smiled warmly at Tony and said, "I take that as a rather large compliment." James's smile died as he turned very serious. He said, "Tony. Kort has turned against everything he believed in. Because of this good people have died and many more are in danger. Don't underestimate him. And don't let him get away." Tony nodded and let go of his friend's hand. James nodded back at Tony and began walking towards the direction he came from.

Tony said quietly, "I won't let you or anyone else down."

Tony began to walk in the direction his car was parked as he contemplated his next move. His anger and rage began to rise within him as he thought about Kort. He had been the bane of Tony's existence for the better part of two years. Now finally it seems that Mr. Kort had gone beyond the CIA's protection and he would finally have his chance to bring him down. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought about the other people in his life that had their own personal demons. Jenny who did everything in her power as director to track down Benoit. He had died under very suspicious circumstances and he had in fact been blamed for. Tony knew there was more to his death however than anyone would know. He had the idea that Jenny had been behind it but had never had reason to follow up on his suspicions. His death had been right, but was it the correct kind of right. Many people deserve death but Benoit's had lacked justice and only brought peace to Jenny and her alone.

Gibbs had Ari Haswari. He had done everything possible including breaking a few laws to bring him down. And again Ari had died under a cloud of suspicion. But the only two people who knew the facts were not talking and would never talk about it. His death too had been right but also lacked the justice that they were swore to uphold. Tony had likened Ari to Moby Dick and Gibbs to Ahab. Was Kort his Moby Dick? How far would Tony go to get this man? Would he deliver unto him a death that would please only him, or would he do the other right option and take him in and let justice decide his fate.

He came to the conclusion that he would only know the answer to these questions when the time presented itself. He was a lot like Gibbs but he didn't want to be Gibbs. He respected Jenny and still felt guilty over her death, but her decisions had cost him and his team so much hurt. The question still lingered in his mind but one thing was certain, he was no longer thinking, "what would Gibbs do?" Now the question that truly frightened him was "What would DiNozzo do?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Here is the celebratory second chapter. Hope you all like this one, it centers more on Tony and Ziva's relationship. Hope you all like it. And the talk and events at the end is ripped from my own personal life story. Write what you know and all. Didn't turn out so well for me but let's hope it turns out better for Tony.**

On the drive to the navy yard Tony's anger had subsided and taken up residence in the back of his mind ready to be unleashed upon Kort when they were face to face. The first few miles he drove he could not banish the anger, but then he thought about the only thing that seemed to calm him down lately, Ziva. He had let given her time and space like she asked for and he knew she was weighing her feelings. He just hoped that he had tipped the scales in his favor but although he could read her better than anyone else she was still a mystery to him when it came to her true feelings. But with Kort so close he knew that he could not talk to her until this whole thing was over, hopefully it would find it's end by the end of the night.

He pulled into the NCIS parking lot and quickly shut down the engine, getting out and pressing the remote on his keys to lock the car and engage his anti-theft device. He walked up the front steps and stepped through the metal detectors showing his ID to the guards as he made his way to the elevators. He took a deep breath as he pressed the button to summon the elevator, the wait was not long before the doors slid open and his journey up to the bullpen began.

The doors opened and Tony quickly entered the bullpen putting his weapon in its place in the drawer and his backpack under the small table behind his desk. He surveyed the room before him and only McGee was there. "Morning McGee, where's the Boss and Ziva?" He asked the younger agent with a hint of impatience in his voice, he wanted them all together before he revealed the information he received from his morning meeting.

McGee shrugged his shoulders not taking his eyes off of the computer screen in front of him. He replied to Tony, "Don't know where Ziva is but Gibbs is getting coffee. Should be back any minute." Tony nodded his head taking in the information. "Get Ziva on the phone McGee, get her in here." McGee just gave Tony a severe look that said 'I'm not your personal assistant' but still grabbed his phone and dialed the familiar numbers.

Tony took a few moments to collect himself as he pieced out exactly how he would tell everyone the information he had gathered. McGee placed the phone back on its cradle and said, "She just pulled in the lot. Be up in a second. Sounded pretty rough, maybe she had a late night." Tony winced at his words knowing he was probably the reason for her rough night as he put it.

A few moments later Tony looked up as the elevator dinged and saw Ziva and Gibbs walking out of it, Ziva looking like hell and Gibbs with his ever-present coffee. Tony turned to McGee and said, "McGee with me." Tony stood and walked towards the elevator until he had Gibbs and Ziva's attention. He nodded his head towards the conference room and started walking in that direction. Gibbs had the look of annoyance on his face but followed him along with the others.

Tony led them to the conference room and waited for them all to be seated. He stood there for a moment trying to gather his thoughts until he heard Gibbs let out a loud sigh and said, "Any time DiNozzo." Tony nodded his head and told the three of them all the information that he had on the Bulldog and Kort and the Islamic Dawn. He pulled the picture and the scrap of paper that had the address to the meeting out and placed them on the table in front of Gibbs. He finished his small lecture with, "And Kort and the Islamic Dawn are doing the deal tonight. Nine O'clock."

He looked around at the faces in front of him. Shock and slight anger was present on McGee's face. Ziva showed less emotion but he knew that behind her eyes her mind was flying with thoughts. Gibb's seemed to be stoic taking in the information with an imperceptible scowl. Tony was silent waiting for someone else to break the tension in the room. It was finally Ziva who simply said, "I should have let you two snail it out after you punched him." Tony let out a small chuckle at her words and answered, "Slug it out Ziva, and yes you should have." She gave him a small smile. They all turned their heads towards Gibbs waiting for the instructions to be doled out.

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee and stood picking up the picture Tony had set down in front of him. He said, "McGee, get a hold of our surveillance teams and give them a heads up, and get a few of them over to the meeting point. It's prolly gonna be under Kort's surveillance as well so let them know to be cautious." McGee nodded with a, "Yes Boss." And he left the room. Gibbs then turned his attention towards his two other agents. He nodded at Ziva and Tony and said, "Tony, you okay?" Tony was a little stunned by the question but answered, "Yeah Boss, I'm fine." Gibbs nodded and said, "Well it looks like your partner isn't. I need you both on your best tonight. Take the rest of the morning off. The both of you. Get some sleep. I don't need either of you until six." With that he left the room leaving no room for comment.

Tony looked at Ziva. She really did look like death warmed over. It did not take a great investigator to know what she had been doing all night. The large dark circles under eyes showed she had little sleep. The eyes themselves were bloodshot and red rimmed and puffy. She had cried herself to sleep apparently and not gotten much of the latter. He felt guilty because he knew he was probably to blame for her current state. He smiled warmly at her and said, "Come on. I'll drive you home." She looked up at him and said, "I do not need to be driven home Tony. I will be fine on my own."

He shook his head at her and said, "Ziva, you look like your gonna pass out right where you stand. Come on, I'll drive you home, you get some sleep. I'll pick you up later and you can get your car when we're done with Kort." He smiled one of his best smiles at her and said, "I promise I won't bite, well, at least anywhere that will show." She rolled her eyes at him knowing she wouldn't win this particular argument. She nodded her ascent and they walked back to the bullpen to retrieve Tony's gear before they left.

The ride in the elevator to the parking lot was filled with an uneasy tension, as was the ride to her apartment. She asked Tony if he wanted to come up for a cup of coffee and he agreed, just wanting to be around her more but also wondering if she had that oh so serious talk in mind.

He followed her to her apartment door and walked in behind her taking off his shoes, as was the custom at her place. He followed her into the kitchen as she filled up the coffeepot with water and waited for the caffeine rich brew to begin to pour. Tony waited with her not knowing how or if he should break the silence. She looked up at him from her place against the counter as he leaned up against the stove. Neither said a word; they just looked at each other. The only sound that could be heard was the traffic on the street outside and the steady dripping of the coffee into the pot. When the dripping stopped Ziva quickly spun around and poured two cups, filling Tony's up with almost as much sugar as coffee just the way he liked it.

He took the cup from her outstretched hand and followed her into the living room where they both sat on the couch in silence. The quietness of the room began to get to Tony and he finally broke the tension with saying, "That new Bond movie is going to be out on DVD soon." His voice sounded awkward as he announced that little tidbit of information into the silence. She exhaled deeply and said, "Tony, we need to talk." He turned his attention back to her and said, "I know we do. I was just giving you time like you asked for. Didn't know if you had enough of it or not so I didn't wanna bring it up." She gave him a warm smile and said, "I know Tony. And thank you for that, but I think now is as good a time as any." He nodded at her and braced himself for whatever revelation she would bestow on him.

"Tony. I…I think that you know that I am dating Michael." She began. Tony nodded his head in acknowledgement of what she had said but not liking this beginning. She cleared her throat and started again, "I have been with Michael for a while now and things are actually going well between us. For the first time in a long time I am in a relationship that I do not want out of." Tony exhaled and closed his eyes. He knew what was coming. She didn't have feelings for him like he had for her. She was trying to let him down gently. "Tony? Did you hear me?" She asked, knowing that his mind was already skipping ahead of what she was saying. "What?" He asked, not having heard her last few statements. "Are you okay? You umm…what is the word? Zoned out for a moment their, yes?" A sad smile crossed his features. "Yes Ziva you got that one right. And I'm sorry I zoned out. What were you saying?" He asked with not much enthusiasm in his voice.

"I said you springed this on me at the completely wrong time." She said. He could not help it but he let out a sad chuckle and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Sprang, Ziva. Sprang it on you." He said. Her eyes closed and she let a small imperceptible shudder pass through her as his fingertips brushed her skin. Michael's touch although feeling good had never had this effect on her. She shook the cobwebs out of her mind at his touch and continued on, "Tony. I have to let you know that I realized last night that I do have feelings of a romantic level towards you. And I do not know what to do about them."

Tony perked up at those words. His small flame of hope that had been having cold water thrown on it at her words were now burning brighter than a furnace. He audibly swallowed and asked, "Ziva, what exactly are you trying to say?" She looked like a small child who was torn between her two favorite toys as she looked down at the floor, finding some remarkable pattern there that she could not tear her gaze away from. She answered in a small voice, "I am saying that I love you too."

His heart almost jumped out of his chest because of the joy he felt. He wanted to grab her and pull her to him and crash his lips against hers. But he sensed the but that was coming. "But?" He asked.

"But I am in a relationship with Michael and I…I think that I love him too." She said so quietly but it might have been an anvil falling to Tony. The joy he had felt only seconds before was still there but it was now more tempered, subdued by her confession of loving two men at once. He knew he had placed her in an extremely precarious position and he felt bad for her. He had never before had the gut wrenching feeling she must be going through. In all honesty it was hard enough for Tony to admit that he was in love with one girl let alone any others. He smiled warmly at her, letting her know he understood her plight. He placed his left hand on her knee and asked, "So…what you wanna do about this?" She shook her head in defeat and said, "I do not know Tony. I have never had to make a decision like this. Usually my decisions are between what the heart wants and orders. Never has it been between what the heart wants and the other thing that the heart wants."

He slid closer to her on the couch and place and arm around her shoulders. He was surprised that she did not pull away and when she didn't he placed a small kiss on her temple. They sat like that for awhile until she let out a small yawn. He smiled down at her and stood up pulling her with him. She looked at him curiously but followed him as he led her to her bedroom. She hesitated at the door but followed him in when he said, "Time to get a few hours sleep." She nodded and walked to the bed with him. He sat down with his back leaning against the headboard and spread his legs. She looked down at him wondering what he was up to but he pulled her down so she was half-laying and half sitting with her back to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her as she cuddled into his chest finding a comfortable position. They sat in silence for a few moments before Tony said, "Tell me about Michael." She craned her head to look up at him. His heart was aching but he had to know about him. Tony's one fault was sacrifice, and although he loved the woman in his arms fiercely, he needed to know about the other man who made her happy.

She asked him in a sleepy voice if he was sure he wanted to hear this and he only nodded. She began telling him things about Michael. Tony flinched at some of them knowing that he could never be as strong willed as his mossad competition was. She had finished telling Tony Michael and he was slightly jealous. His sense of pride demanded that he say something to try to make himself at least equal in his eyes to her. He said the first thing that came into his mind, "You know Ziva. I might not be as strong and you or Michael, but if I have to fight for you, I'll be the strongest man alive." She stiffened slightly at his words but quickly relaxed as him arms tightened around her. She felt safe and protected in his arms. He probably meant figuratively when he said fight, right? Yeah.

They lay like that in each other's arms drifting off to sleep together. No nightmares invaded either of their dreams. They were finally peaceful. The worries of what was to come, not only in their relative relationship but also of the operation later on that night, were lost to the depths of peaceful dreams and the small snores that escaped their lips.


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay guys, sorry if this chapter isn't the greatest. I guess my muse left me or something cause I had no idea how to write down what I saw in my head. Again i am really sorry if this isn't good. I got another idea for a story and now that thats floating around in my head it's hard to concentrate on this one. No beta mistakes are mine.**

A/N: Don't own any of the NCIS characters or anything that has any ornate value.

Tony awoke with an odd weight on his chest. He opened one eye and looked down. His face lit up into a brilliant smile when he realized that Ziva was still lying on his chest. He ran his finger along her jawbone and brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face. He gently cupped her cheek and sighed, completely and utterly relaxed and happy. She stirred under his manipulations and woke. She stiffened for a moment not understanding why her bead and pillows were suddenly moving under her. She sleepily looked up from her position and relaxed at the sight of Tony leaning back smiling at her. She snuggled back into him happily.

Tony reached over for his phone on her bedside table and looked at the time. "5:30" He said. "We should be heading into the office in a few. Get caught up on what we missed." He said into her hair. She nodded and made to move but Tony tightened his grip on her. She looked up at him and before she knew what was happening he placed a chaste kiss on her lips. When he pulled back and looked at her his eyes were filled with love and he smiled. She smiled up at him before moving out of his grip. She grabbed some clothes and went into her bathroom to change.

Tony watched her walk into the bathroom then got off the bed and walked into the living room. He smoothed his clothes and sat on her couch, patiently waiting for her. She joined him after a few moments and sat down next to him. A small line of worry crossed her forehead and Tony noticed this right away.

She opened her mouth to speak but Tony cut her off. "Look, I know I put you in a bad situation and I just want you to know that I will wait for you to make a decision. I am not gonna try and pressure you into making one either. The ball is in your court, you decide what's best for you and I will go with it." She smiled at him but the line of worry didn't leave her face as she said, "I do not know what I am going to do yet, but I have to know what if I make a decision you will not like?" A sad smile crossed his features and said, "I love you. If whatever you decide makes you happy I'll deal with it." He reached up and cupped the side of her face with his hand. She closed her eyes and leaned into it. He said, "Seriously Ziva, I just want you to be happy. I can make you happy." The last was said with the wiggling of his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes at him and said, "Come on. We have got work to do." Realization at what tonight's events had in store for them donned in his memory, he had almost forgotten during his reassurance that he wouldn't pressure Ziva. His face set in a serious expression and replied, "Yes. Yes we do."

8:45 p.m. Outside the warehouse

The team sat in the surveillance van as Tim fiddled with a few knobs on the overly complicated computer panel. "Boss, I got something your gonna wanna hear." He said. Gibbs nodded and Tim pressed a few buttons. A voice popped into life from the small speakers. "All surveillance check in." The voice they all knew as Korts said. Three different voices answered an all clear. Kort's voice came again over the speaker saying to keep radio silence unless something was out of order. Gibbs gave a small half smile and turned to Ziva. She seemed to read his mind when she said, "We should help them maintain their silence, yes?" Gibbs nodded his head and she and Tony left the back of the van.

8:55 p.m. Outside the warehouse

McGee jumped as the back of the van opened quickly and five handcuffed men were shoved in. Ziva and Tony smiled as they noticed to look of shock on McGee's face. Gibbs nodded at his two agents and made a brief call on his phone.

A few moments later, four NCIS agents appeared and took the men back to the van they used to transfer prisoners.

They all heard on their ear pieces that the terrorists were on their way into the warehouse. Gibbs nodded to his team and they all left the van heading towards the warehouse in the light rain that had began to fall looking out for anyone or anything out of the ordinary. Gibbs spoke into his cuff for the other teams to get into position.

Once the other teams were in position at the exits and entrances for the building Gibbs nodded at Ziva who quickly and quietly opened the door. No shouts of alarm. The four agents quickly made their way through the maze of boxes that covered that section of the warehouse. They crept silently up to the center of the room hiding behind a row of low boxes. They peered over their cover and observed Kort with two bodyguards conversing with Ryan Johnson and five members of his cell. In between the two groups were several weapons crates, one was open and Johnson was taking stock of his newfound treasures.

Gibbs said the code word into his cuff and nodded to his agents, the all stood and trained their weapons on the criminals in front of them. "Freeze, NCIS!" They yelled. All eyes turned to stare in bewilderment at the agents. They swiveled around again as the other doors flew open with more agents running in, effectively surrounding them. "Drop your weapons! Down on your knees!" Gibbs yelled and all complied except for Trent Kort. He started to back away from the center of the room towards to only direction that didn't seem to have an agent with a gun trained on him.

Tony saw him moving and quickly walked out from his cover to stand directly in front of Kort. They moved together Kort moving backwards and Tony following. Kort stopped moving and Tony did the same, now not standing more than 15 feet from the other.

Kort regarded Tony and smiled. He shook his head and said, "Ah, DiNozzo. Always knew you and me weren't done with each other." Tony regarded Kort cooly and spoke just as icily, "We're still not done. Won't be until I leave you behind me in Cuba. Gitmo's wonderful this time of year."

With a small sigh Kort replied, "Oh, DiNozzo. That is what I like about you. So sure in your beliefs."

Tony just shook his head, his gun never leaving Kort, and asked, "Why did you do it Kort? Why betray everything?"

Kort chuckled and said, "Oh come now Tony. You know how this goes. Undercover for so long you don't want to give up the part. Don't tell me you never once thought about giving up DiNozzo to become DiNardo full time."

Tony's mind flashed back to a time kneeling by a fireplace holding the card Jeanne had left for him. The simple words etched in his memory; "You have to choose." He had considered leaving to be with Jeanne until he looked up to his team, his family, his Ziva, before throwing the card onto the fire.

Tony heard the sounds of people groaning behind him and knew that the other agents were getting the terrorists out of the tense standoff. After a few more tense moments he heard Gibbs speaking in his earwig saying that everyone was out of the building except for Ziva, McGee, and Gibbs. And that they were trying to find a way to get behind Kort stealthily.

Tony took a small step towards Kort and said, "Put it down Kort. Or you'll leave here in a body bag!" Kort smiled smugly at the agent in front of him and said, "Tsk, tsk, DiNozzo. Did you not think I had an escape plan if things went bad?" Without lowering his weapon he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out what looked to be a detonator. His finger hovered over a small button and nodded towards Tony and said, "Okay, DiNozzo. Tell you team to come out where I can see them."

Tony didn't move or say anything. After a few moments he heard his three friends come up to stand next to him. Kort nodded at agent Gibbs and said, "Agent Gibbs. You three start walking towards the door that your friends came in through." Gibbs stared him down, but began walking towards the door that he had indicated pulling Ziva and McGee with him.

When they were halfway to the door Gibbs asked, "What about DiNozzo?" Kort gave a small chuckle and said, "I don't know. Depends on how…stupid he is." Gibbs and his two agents resumed walking towards their intended destination.

A small red light had caught Tony's attention out of his peripheral vision and chanced a quick glance in that direction. A small charge was set to one of the crates. He quickly took stock of his surroundings and saw three more charges, by following Kort and stopping where he did, he had essentially walked into a gauntlet. He cast a quick look in Gibb's direction and noticed they were walking into the same situation. He looked at all the other exits and saw only one that didn't seem booby-trapped. Better than nothing he thought to himself.

He brought his sleeve up to his face and whispered so Kort couldn't hear, "Boss, all the exits are trapped except the northeast. You guy's are to far away to help. Count down to ten and get to the exit as fast as you can. I'll buy you some time."

Tony looked over at Gibbs. Gibbs seemed to be caught between two emotions at once. Pride for what his agent was about to do and fear, for the same reason. He stared Tony down then gave a half-smile. Ziva hearing the whole conversation was shaking her head at Tony and McGee looked as though he was proud to be his probie.

Tony stared down Kort hard, counting down from ten. When he reached zero he began to run at Kort, both began firing their weapons. Tony took two shots to the chest and his bulletproof jacket held the slugs from piercing his flesh. Although the shots rocked him his momentum carried him through. Tony was five feet when Tony jumped at Kort and Kort pressed the button on the detonator.


	12. Chapter 12

**Had my muse return to me the other day. So i wrote this and two other chapters. Posting them all today so i hope yoy all enjoy them. They are all on the shorter side (between 1400 and 1600 words) but hope you like them all the same. Thanks for the reviews. I thought that last chapter was horrible but arrarently some you yall liked it. **

A/N: This is for this and the next two chapters. Don't own any NCIS.

Midnight Outside warehouse.

Ziva, Gibbs, and McGee stood by the van watching as the firefighters and rescue crews searched the rubble that used to be the warehouse. Smoking clumps of twisted metal and concrete were laying haphazardly as a testament to the destruction they had witnessed.

Gibbs looked morosely over the scene as the workers turned over every bit of rubble looking for any sign of his agent. His expression was unreadable but his mind burned with anger and pride for his senior agent. He had risked his life to keep them out of harms way. Tony knew he wouldn't make it out of there, but when it came down to it Gibbs knew that Tony wouldn't regret his decision. Gibbs himself would have done the same thing to protect what was most important to him, and just like DiNozzo that was his team.

McGee was trying to keep the tears that blurred his vision from falling. He had taken Kate's death hard but this was different. This was Tony. Thoughts filtered through his head at his first meeting with the man who he had grown to think of as an annoying older brother. He admired him at times and loathed him at others. Always being the insufferable prankster and making jokes, mainly at Tim's expense. His gaze swept the devastation in front of him and a shudder passed through him. Life wouldn't be the same after this. He had always had hope that Tony would always be there. He had lived through so many situations that had Tim not been there for them he would have thought them good fiction. This time was different He didn't know if he could come to terms with the fact his beloved brother was gone.

Ziva gazed with unseeing eyes and a completely blank expression. He was gone. She had no emotion for this. Anger could not describe the hate she felt for the man who caused this. Guilt couldn't come near enough to know that Tony sacrificed himself for her and the two men next to her. Loss couldn't explain the empty feeling she felt. She felt everything and nothing. Couldn't cry, couldn't scream, couldn't do anything except stare unseeing at the smoking ruins in front of her. She knew she loved him but had not known how much until this moment. Thoughts of Michael flew unbidden into her mind and she knew that if he died she would be crushed, but…but not like this. Her heart was not broken. It was as shattered as the remains in front of her.

Gibb's phone began to ring and he answered it with a broken sound that sounded something vaguely familiar as, "Gibbs." After a few minutes of listening to the man on the other end of the phone he snapped it shut. He slowly turned to face his remaining team, taking in their faces and broken expressions. He took a shuddering breath and said, "Come on. We gotta get back to the office. Vance is sending two more teams to secure and process the scene. Ducky's en route to collect the…" He couldn't finish his sentence from the sudden lump that found it's way to his throat.

McGee looked at him and blinked twice, a small tear sliding down his cheek. He stared at his boss in a valiant effort of defiance to his order and turned back to the ruins. Ziva never heard the proclamation, her mind only hearing Tony's words from earlier that day. Gibbs sighed and slowly made his way in front of his two agents. They didn't back down from his sad stare. Gibbs stepped forward to stand in McGee's personal space until finally Tim nodded and turned to get into the van. He then looked to Ziva who looked like she wasn't even aware of him. He gently took her arm and finally the spell she was under snapped. She looked him right in the eye and he was taken aback at the amount of emotions he saw in her brown eyes. She flung herself into his chest and began to sob.

He had no idea what to do. He had seen her cry before but never like this. He did the only thing he could think of and wrapped his arms around her and held her tight until the sobs slowed. He pulled back from her lifting her chin to look at her face. She looked at him as he nodded. She nodded back tears filling her eyes and falling unbidden down her cheeks. He moved to stand next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, slowly moving her towards the passenger side of the van. He gently placed her inside and looked at McGee who was sitting in the drivers' seat that Tony had been sitting in just a few short hours ago. Gibbs nodded at McGee as he closed the door.

McGee started the van and began to drive away as Gibbs slowly walked to the blue charger that he had driven in. He opened up the door and stood there looking over the scene one last time. After a few moments he did something that he had only done four times before in his life. He had done it for Shannon, for Kelly, for Kate, and for Jenny, his family. Leaning against the open car door he clasped his hands in front of him and gave a silent prayer that his agent, friend, and surrogate son would find peace. He moved to get into the car when a sudden shout stopped him. He stood quickly and listened for the call again. His eyes scanned the ruins before his and in the distance he saw a man waving to other rescue workers. He heard the shout again, "We got a survivor!!!"

Gibb's heart leapt in his chest there was a chance that his agent had made it after all. With no thought he slammed the car door and began to run in the direction he saw the man shouting from. When he reached the edge of the debris field two firemen stopped him. Gibbs held up his badge to show the men who he was and tried to break through them again. The still held him back and told him he couldn't go into the ruins. He exploded into a screaming match with firemen but was still not allowed to enter.

He waited impatiently pacing back and forth in front of the firemen as rescue workers ran by him with a stretcher for the newly found survivor. With the smoke that was still rising from the ashes of the ruined building he could barely make out what was happening. After fifteen minutes he could make out four rescue workers carrying the stretcher back towards the waiting ambulance. As they neared he strained against the two firemen trying to get a glimpse of his agent. The firemen held him as the stretcher passed and was placed on a gurney by the ambulance that had pulled up waiting for the injured person. When the stretcher was securely strapped to the gurney Gibbs finally broke free of the firemen's hands and pushed one of the EMT's out of the way to look at the man lying there.

Gibbs could barely make out who he was. He was covered in dirt and soot. He clutched his right side with his left hand and his right arm seemed to dangle helplessly off the gurney. His clothing had small burns all over it and the man had cuts and scrapes.

Gibb's eyes blazed with fury and unshed tears at the false hope he had allowed himself. Gibbs stared Kort down and Kort stared back. Kort shook his head at Gibbs and weakly said, "I know Gibbs. I should be dead. I had no intention of leaving alive after you came charging in. DiNozzo said death was too good for me and pushed me into a back office as the building came down."

Gibb's eyes closed as he half smiled. His agent had sacrificed his life twice that night. The first to protect his family, the next to ensure that proper justice awaited the man that took so much from so many. Pride swelled within his chest as he thought of Tony.

He was snapped back to attention as one of the EMTs told Gibbs that they had to move the patient quickly. Gibbs nodded and moved out of the way. As soon as the gurney was placed into the back of the ambulance and one of the EMTs was in; he jumped in as well. The EMT just looked at Gibbs as did Kort. By way of explanation Gibbs stared Kort down and said, "I am not leaving this man's side until he's in Gitmo. Don't care if I have to swim him there myself." His agent died making sure this scum lived long enough to go to trial. If anyone had deserved justice at the end of a rope it was this man, but Tony wanted him to have a trial, he'd be damned if he didn't get one. As soon as the doors were closed one of the firemen on the outside patted the back of the window and the ambulance took off at a fast rate, sirens wailing and lights blazing.

After another hour another call was heard from what was left of the warehouse. "WE GOT ANOTHER ONE!"


	13. Chapter 13

NCIS Headquarters

Director Vance sat in his chair talking on the phone. "Don't leave his side. I'm sending a few marines in to post security. No one is getting in or out without my say so. That includes your team Jethro." Listening for a moment longer he hung up the phone and quickly dialed another number. He talked to the man on the other end for a few moments setting up the priority protection slash security detail. After hanging up the phone he leaned back in his chair chewing on his ninth toothpick of the day.

DiNozzo's gone. He had never really liked him but he was still one of his agents and he took any of his agents death hard.

He quietly thought about his life after becoming director. In the seven months since becoming director he had had a traitor in his midst, Langer murdered by said traitor, four NCIS agents die in a bombing, and now apprehending the ones responsible for the bomb he had lost another agent. A good agent no matter how much he hated the idea. He was doing a bang up job as director.

His time as director seemed to be the stuff that nightmares were made of. He quietly wished that Jenny had left him in a more stable situation but he knew that with Gibbs and his team around nothing would ever be stable. He wondered how Jenny was able to handle these situations. "Don't matter anymore." He said into the quiet of the office. He was director now and he had to deal with this. He began to reach for his phone to call the CIA and the FBI to let them know that Kort and the Islamic Dawn had been captured. He figured they would want to share credit but damn them on that. As much as he hated to admit it, from what Gibbs had told him DiNozzo deserved all the credit, and on his job as director he would see to it that his agent got what he deserved. But just as his hand was about to close around the receiver it began to ring. He picked it up, "Director Vance."

McGee was sitting at his desk looking vacantly at Tony's. He would never again see him there throwing paper airplanes at him or throwing paper balls into the trashcan by Tim's desk. No more rubber band wars. No more practical jokes. No more bantering between the three agents. No more Tony. He rested his elbows on his desk and his face met his hands. He had had his arms around Ziva all the way from the car up to the bullpen. As soon as she looked upon Tony's desk she hurriedly excused herself to the bathroom. He knew she would be in there crying but he knew she needed to. Hell he needed to but he wouldn't. Not in front of her. For the first time in their relationship she needed him to be the strong one. Tony would do it if he was here but he's not so it's up to me he thought. Besides what did Tony say once? Men don't cry or was it DiNozzo's don't cry.

He sat there holding his head in his hands for what seemed like hours. Not wanting to look up at the empty bullpen. Not wanting to see what they all had lost. He was completely unaware of his surroundings until he heard someone clear their throat. He quickly looked up to Director Vance standing in front of him. McGee quickly brushed the unshed tears from his eyes. Vance just stood there watching him with a small smile on his face. McGee actually wished he could knock it off of him, one of his best friends just died and he had the gall to be smirking at him.

Vance's smile dropped and he said, "Get David. Bethesda Emergency." He turned and began walking back towards the stairs he had descended only moments before. A few moments later Tim stood from his desk eyeing the director walking away from him and asked, "What for?" Vance halted on the stairs halfway to the top. He looked down at the young agent and said, "Found a survivor McGee. DiNozzo. Don't know what shape he's in, but they found him." Vance figured it was best to leave out that Kort had already been found. He didn't want any of his agents including McGee taking matters into their own hands however unlikely that was.

McGee just looked shocked. He mulled the news around in his head until it actually soaked into his head. He was alive.

As soon as Ziva had seen Tony's desk she knew she would break. She muttered a quick excuse and ran to the lady's room. She walked up to the mirror placing her hands on the counter on either side of the sink. She looked at her eyes in the mirror. Puffy from crying, what little mascara she wore now lining her cheeks. Tears began to build behind them again and the damn broke until they were spilling down her cheeks again.

She walked into one of the stalls and sat on the toilet and sobbed out the pain she felt at losing Tony. After a while they died away and she sat quietly. With trembling hands she reached for her cellphone and dialed a familiar number.

A few minutes later it was picked up with the voice saying, "Shalom Ziva, miss me." She closed her eyes and couldn't speak. A few moments later she again heard the voice, "Ziva, are you okay. Ziva?" She took a deep breath and said, "Tony is dead Michael." Silence on the other end. A few more seconds passed until she spoke next, "He died saving us. Bombs covered all exits save one and he distracted the bomber until we could get away…the building…the building was destroyed." Fresh waves of pain and guilt flooded through her and the tears began to flow freely again.

Michael heard her sobs on the other end of the phone. He had nothing to say. He had been slightly jealous of how much Ziva talked about her partner but had come to accept that they were close.

"I…I…don't know what to do." She cried. Through the tears she knew what she had to do. Even though Tony was gone she would break it off with Michael. The whole he had left in her would be too big to fill. She knew she could never love someone as much as she does Tony. "Michael…I have to tell you something." She quietly said. She heard him say, "I am listening Ziva." I love you Michael. I do. But…I love Tony and I always will." She heard silence on the other end of the line.

He knew it was a dick thing to say but he was now hurt and confused. He said, "Tony is dead Ziva. I am not." He regretted it instantly.

She took a quick intake of breath in shock of what she just heard. Anger threatened to spill over but she tried to calm herself knowing that it was said in hurt. She took a few moments to collect the right words before she said, "Yes Michael, he is. But…I still love him and I always will. I must break this off between us. It is not fair to you. You are a good man and you will always have a place in my heart but…you deserve someone who can give you their whole heart."

The only thing breaking the silence was the sound of Ziva's shuddering breath trying not to break into pain wracked sobs. After a few minutes that seemed to last a lifetime Michael finally answered, "Ziva…I love you. But you are right. I do not want to be second to anyone in your life. I guess it just took us time to realize I always was." He wanted to punch something or better yet someone. He wanted to yell and scream and call her every name he could think of but he couldn't. He knew she was right. He had guessed at it before but never thought anything would actually happen. She was faithful. Deep down he knew he was her second. "I am sorry for you loss Ziva. Shalom" He said quietly. "Shalom Michael." She replied. She closed the phone feeling her heart break a second time for hurting Michael but it had been for the best. Tony was willing to give her up if she could be happy with him, now she was letting Michael go so he could find someone who loved only him.

She put her phone away and hung her head in her hands. She began to wipe her eyes and pull herself together. Tony would fight for her and be brave for her. She would do the same for him.

She jumped at the sound of the lady's room door flying open and banging into the wall. She heard McGee yell for her excitedly. She stood and straightened out her shirt and wiped her eyes one last time before she opened to door to see an ecstatic McGee. She instantly became angry when she saw his look of happiness.

She opened her mouth to begin yelling at him but the screaming died in her throat when she heard him say, "They found a survivor, it's Tony."


	14. Chapter 14

Bethesda Hospital Emergency Room

Ziva and McGee sat in the hospital waiting room. What they were waiting for they didn't know. No one had told them anything, whether he was alive or dead, they were just told to wait. Frustration built up in the two as the minutes dragged on. McGee had called Gibbs and told them the news and he said he would be there as soon as he finished up.

So they sat waiting. A sudden thought popped into Ziva's mind and turned quickly to McGee. "Have you called Abby and Ducky yet?" She asked him. Fear popped into his eyes at the thought. He had been so out of sorts after the explosion that he hadn't called either to inform them of Tony's death or the fact that now he was still alive, maybe. He quickly shook his head no in answer to Ziva's question. She scowled at him to let him know that he should be doing that right now. He opened his mouth to speak and the words rushed out, "What-do-I-tell-them?" She leaned back in her chair putting her head against the wall and said, "The truth McGee."

McGee nodded and began walking towards the elevator. He pressed the down button waiting for the elevator that would place him on the tail end of questions and tears that were sure to come. As the doors to the elevator opened Gibbs stepped out and almost ran right into Tim. Gibbs muttered an apology to McGee and walked over to Ziva. McGee shook his head dumbfounded. Gibbs must really be taking this bad if he just apologized.

"How is he?" Gibbs asked Ziva in quietly. She shook her head at him and replied, "We do not know Gibbs. They have not told us anything yet." Gibbs nodded and sat down in the chair next to her, resigning himself to wait, he hated waiting.

After a few hours Gibbs, Ziva, McGee, Abby, and Ducky all sat in the waiting room. Abby had her knees pulled up to her chest with her forehead resting on them sobbing quietly. McGee sat next to her with his hand on shoulder, comforting her with his presence. Ducky sat on the other side of her, his hand on her other shoulder. Gibbs and Ziva sat across from them. Gibbs had remained stoic, sorting through all the thoughts in his head. Ziva was leant forward with her elbows on her knees and her head bowed. She was nervously playing with her Star of David necklace.

Every time the double doors opened revealing a doctor all five heads snapped up in anticipation of any news regarding Tony. After several such occasions they began to lax.

"Anthony DiNozzo?" Came the question of a salt and pepper haired doctor as he walked through the doors. All five of them rushed towards the doctor. He was a bit taken aback by the presence of so many people rushing up to greet him.

"Your all here for DiNozzo?" The doctor asked. Gibbs just glared at the doctor. "How is Tony?" Abby jumped in. "Ah, I'm sorry miss but I can only speak to family about his current condition." The doctor replied. Gibbs grabbed his badge and showed it to the doctor, "NCIS. DiNozzo's boss. How is he." Gibbs said, confident that that would release some information. "I'm sorry sir. Like I just told the young lady, only family." The doctor said. Gibbs looked ready to kill the doctor but a refraining arm from Ducky kept him at bay. The doctor continued, "Is there a Ziva David with you?"

Ziva looked confused but stepped forward and said, "I am Ziva David." The doctor looked at her and gave her a smile. "Would you follow me please?" With that he turned to the side and held his arm out in the direction they would be travelling in. Ziva was confused and asked the doctor, "Why me?" The doctor double-checked his chart and said, "You're the only name he has down for next of kin." Ziva's eyes began to water again. He had listed her as family. Ziva turned to Gibbs and the group and said, "I will let you know as soon as I come back." They all muttered their acceptance of this situation and she turned and nodded at the doctor who led them back through the double doors.

He led her through several different corridors finally under a sign that said Intensive Care. She walked by rooms with glass windows and saw the occupants in different states of sickness and injury. Finally they stopped at the end of the long hallway and he stopped her before she could look into his room.

He took a deep breath and let it out. "Miss David, I want to prepare you for what you are going to see in there." He said. She quick steadying breath balled her hands into fists and nodded for him to continue. He said, "Right now he is hooked up to several different machines. He has a ventilator breathing for him and also we had to place a chest tube to relieve pressure from around his lungs. Plus all the other machines he is hooked to, to measure his vitals and stats."

She nodded absorbing the information and preparing herself for what she would see in a moment. When she thought she had herself under control, in a quiet voice she asked, "What are the extent of his injuries doctor?"

The doctor said, "Most of the damage was to his right side. From x-rays we see thirteen different breaks from his shoulder down to his wrist. Broken collarbone and several ribs as well as the tibia and fibia. That's it for the breaks but I am afraid there's more. He had internal bleeding and several bruised organs that are beginning to swell. He has a collapsed lung and the other was pierced by one of the ribs that were broken. We also know he has a concussion and we need to monitor that so we can't let him fall asleep just yet."

The doctor took pause to let this information sink in before continuing, "Normally we would put him in a barbituate-induced coma so his body can concentrate on healing, but a quarter of patients put into a coma develop an impaired immune response and get infections. With his history of Y-Pestis and his already compromised immune system, we can't risk it; the threat of infection is too high." With a quiet voice he added, "With the amount of trauma his body has suffered I don't think his body could fight anything off."

Tears had begun to fall down her face as he told her the long list of problems that Tony faced. "Is he awake?" She meekly asked. The doctor frowned and nodded, "We can't let him sleep yet until we know the extent of his head injury. It looks like just a concussion but with the amount of trauma the rest of his body received we want to make sure it is not more serious. This also presents us with another problem."

She looked incredulously at the doctor. Did Tony not have enough problems already? "We can only give him a mild pain killer. Anything stronger than what he is currently on will make him drowsy and we can't run the risk of letting his sleep yet." Ziva just stared at the doctor in shock. In a shocked and angered tone she asked, "With all his injuries and pain, all your giving him is an aspirin?!"

The doctor quickly explained that his pain reliever was more effective than that but no where near the strength he would normally be on. Ziva relaxed herself and smile apologetically at the man. "I am sorry doctor." She wiped her eyes clear one more time and said, "He is special." The doctor nodded his understanding.

The doctor looked into Tony's room and said, "Your right, he is. Miss David I am gonna be straight with you. With the amount of trauma he suffered he should have died instantly. All I know is whatever is keeping him alive right now has got nothing to do with those machines." New tears fell from her eyes. "Is he a fighter, is he strong?" The doctor asked.

Ziva's mind flew to the words Tony had said to her, "If I have to fight for you I will be the strongest man alive."

Ziva let a small tear filled smile fill her face. She turned to the doctor and said, "He is the strongest man I have ever met."


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry this is so short guys. Just figured I should throw something in soon. This story is winding down though. Only one or two chapters left. I really appreciate all those who reveiw and I hope yall like this small chapter. No Beta so all mistakes are mine, sorry. **

**A/N: Dont own any NCIS characters.**

Ziva took a steadying breath and held her head high. She had wiped furiously at her eyes to disperse the tears that had been welling up. Another deep breath. With steadfast resolution she opened up the glass door that led into Tony's room.

The strong pungent smell of antiseptics and plaster and that odd sterile smell that often permeated hospitals assailed her nostrils. She took small tentative steps into the room. Machines whirred and beeped in a cacophony of sound. As she drew closer she saw the amount of tubes and wires that connected his body to the life giving machines. He looked as though he was trapped in a forest of plastic and copper. The sight nearly broke her resolve and she had to gather every ounce of courage she had not to break down.

She stood at the end of his bed looking down at the broken body of the man she loved. His eyes were closed but she knew he was awake. His chest rose and fell in time with the machine that was doing the breathing for him. The sound of air being forced into and out of his lungs was deafening to her ears. She could tell he was in excruciating pain even if the doctor had not previously told her. His hands were balled into fists and his knuckles were white. His jaw was clenched so tightly that she was sure that he would have to see the dentist after he was released from here, if, he was released from here. His eyes were tightly shut and a fine sheen of perspiration clung to his body.

She just stared down at him. She was at a loss for words. The things she had wanted to tell him when she was in the waiting room all fled from her mind. She was a complete blank. She could not tear her eyes away from the immense bandages that covered his upper torso. They had once been a serene white but now near where they had inserted the chest tube was a dark brown. She continued to stare at him. What could she say. How should she say it?

She was broken from her shock when she heard a weak raspy voice say, "Hey…Zi…you…okay?" She looked up quickly into Tony's pain filled eyes. Am I okay? AM I OKAY? He was lying there fighting for his life and asking her if she was okay. Anger flew into her at his words.

"ME! You should not be worried about me Tony! Look at you." She shouted. "You are a stupid ignorant man, Tony! You almost died!" She continued. Tears were now freely falling down her face, whether from anger at his worry for her and not himself or for the fear of almost losing him she didn't know. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. In a quieter voice she added, "You almost left me."

"Hey." His pain filled voice said. She slowly raised her head an opened her eyes to look upon him again. He reached out his good arm for her. She went to that side of the bed and laced her fingers with his.

The quiet raspy voice sounded again, "I…am…never…gonna…leave…you. If…a…ten…ton…building…can't…do…the…job…nothing…will." He smiled up at her. Agonizing pain shot through his body and turned his smile in a grimace. The shooting pain soon went away and again he adopted a smile.

She smiled down at him and nodded. She down to him with mocking sternness, "When we get back into the field, you will never do anything that brave or stupid again." His smile grew wider and he said, "Can't…help…it. Hero…in…my…own…action…movie. Jason…Statham…be…damned." She smiled back at him in his reference. She remembered when he put forth "The Transporter" theory to McGee. How he would have gotten the case and the girl and not spilled a drop of his coffee.

His voice broke her reverie again; "Well…I…don't…think…it'll…be…a…problem…though. Can't…

Go…into…the…field…anymore." His face looked downtrodden. She knew this was hurting him worse than his physical pains. Most of his adult life was spent being a cop or an agent. It was part of his identity and now it was being stripped away.

She placed a comforting hand on his cheek and he leaned into it disregarding the stabbing pain from his body. She leaned down and placed a chaste kiss to his lips and said, "You will always be my hero, no matter what." He smiled up at her and said, "Thanks."

"How…is…the…team?" He asked. She thought about the team in the waiting room. "The usual when one of us gets hurt." She answered. "Gibbs is brooding and pissed he cannot get answers from the staff. Abby is crying her eyes out and worrying. Ducky and McGee are trying to calm her but they are doing the same inside." His eyes bored into hers for a moment until he asked, "And…how…are…you?" She tore her eyes away from his face. She asked, "The truth?" He nodded but figured she couldn't see him with her face turned so he added, "The…truth."

She gently unlaced their fingers and moved to the other side of the bed to grab a chair that was placed next to the wall. She moved it back round to the other side again and sat, lacing their fingers again. Her eyes still not meeting his she said, "I am a crash." A small chuckle escaped him but the pain that shot through him at the movement sobered him immediately. "Wreck…Ziva…Wreck." She gave him an exasperated look and said, "Must you correct me all the time?" A smile slowly spread across his face and he nodded his head for her to continue. She rolled her eyes at him and said, "When we thought you were…you know. I felt such horrible loss and pain. I have felt it before when Tali died. But it was worse. I do not know how to describe it. I knew then that I loved you more than I had thought I did." He quietly absorbed the news he was hearing and reveled in it. She continued, "I broke things off with Michael. It was not fair to him to be second in my heart." He squeezed her hand letting her know that he was sorry. She smiled up at him and said, "He took it well." He squeezed her hand again. She leaned down and kissed his hand.

"So…does…that…mean…you…want…to…be…my…girlfriend?" He asked with a sly smile gracing his face. She teasingly smiled back at him and said, "I do not know Tony. We have not even been on a date yet."

His thumb began to trace small circles on her hand. He wiggled his eyebrows at her and said,

"I'll…have…the…nurse…bring…two…trays…for…lunch."


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey yall. Sorry this took so long to get up but i really had no idea on how to end this story. I had thought about making it longer going through all the stuff but i thought it would be kinda boring while Tony is in the hospital. And i am sorry if this chapter sux but i really had no idea on how to end it. I hope that this is okay and if not please let me know. And i am SOOO sorry i screwed up the last chapter so bad. While writing it i guess i just kinda zoned out and forgot that he had a ventilator in. I really hope that didn't irk you all off too much. This is my first fic after all and i can only hope not to screw up like that in the future and thank you to all who pointed out that error. And finally This is the final chapter and i want to thank all of you who reviewed this story. It kept me motivated to keep writing it and is helping to increase my skills (not that i have much) But seriously thank you all so much. And without anymore gilding the lilly, the last chapter.**

Four months later Bethesda Hospital

Tony was constantly fidgeting in the wheelchair, grumbling under his breath. He turned to the beautiful woman pushing him and said, "I have been in a wheelchair for two months. Last week I got crutches and could walk on my own. Now I get to leave and they put me in the damn chair again." He turned back towards the front with a scowl on his face.

Ziva just kept pushing him and said, "Calm down you drama king. You have to sit in the chair for a total of ten minutes until I get you outside the hospital. It is a small price to pay to get to leave here, yes?" Tony dropped his scowl but still wasn't happy with the situation. "Drama queen." He muttered under his breath. Ziva still heard it and a small smile crossed her features.

She had been visiting Tony everyday since he had been admitted to the hospital. Their relationship had blossomed in that time and she and Tony both could not wait for him to be home. She loved their hospital dates as Tony had called them but there is only so much that can happen within the confines of a hospital. Plus the fact that she was relishing the idea of an actual date at a restaurant. Hospital food isn't very romantic even if Tony let her have his pudding every night.

Tony's recovery was going extremely well from what the doctors had said. His ribs had healed nicely and his lungs were back to the way they were before the explosion, not that they were all that great but still no lasting damage had occurred. And all of his bones were mending nicely. His leg cast would be off in less than a month and his arm in two. Then all they had to look forward to was the physical therapy he would require to get his arm and leg back into field agent condition. The director had even said that when Tony was ready to come back his spot would be waiting for him.

In the meantime a temporary agent had been placed on the team and they hadn't really had any major cases. All in all everything was working out just fine. Tony was healing well, his and Ziva's relationship was going strong even though they could not wait until they could take things to a more physical level. They had tried once considering she liked to be on top but a very awkward moment when a nurse came in to check why Tony's heart rate had spiked had ruined the mood so to speak and they hadn't tried again since.

Kort was being sent to Guantanamo Bay for terrorism. Tony had loathed the fact that the hospital would not release him for the trial but he felt that at least justice had been done. Tony had an idea that when he was fully healed he would take a bump down to Cuba to check in on his old friend. That thought always brought a smile to his face.

But all that led up to this moment. Tony being discharged and staying at Ziva's house. He loved the idea of being there when she got home from work and asking about her day. But he still had a bit of the chauvinist in him and kinda thought it should be the other way around. He never mentioned this to her because even though they were doing really well she could still hurt him in many painful ways, he knew what she could do with a paperclip but just thinking what she could do to him with one of his crutches made him shiver.

They finally made it into the elevator and Ziva placed her hand on Tony's shoulder. He reached his own hand up and gently laid it on top of hers. He looked back and up at her and said, "I love you and I don't deserve you." She smirked down at him and said, "I know. But I like the fact that you know it too." He chuckled at her joke smiled brightly at her. Still keeping his hand on hers he said, "Your apartment first or mine to pick up some stuff?" She looked up at the closed doors of the elevator and said, "My place. Me and Abby have already been to your apartment to pick up some of your stuff." He opened his mouth to say something but she interrupted by saying, "Do not worry. Your TV, DVD player, and a large collection of your movies were the first on our list. They are at my house already connected and waiting for you."

A huge smile was plastered across his face at that. She continued, "But we have to get you changed and I have been instructed to take you somewhere." This caused his smile to falter and frown. "And where may I asked are you taking me?" She leaned down so her lips brushed against his ear as she whispered, "It is a surprise." Then she kissed him on the cheek and he didn't dread what the surprise was after that.

* * *

"Okay Ziva? You know I love you and everything but why did I have to put on a tux?" Tony asked as they were on the freeway headed to Arlington. Not that Tony was complaining but he had to cut an extra whole in his belt so the extra large pants that his cast wouldn't fall down. Plus his other cast made him extremely self-conscious. Black tux offset by stark white cast was not a good look for him.

He glanced over at Ziva behind the wheel and thanked his lucky stars that she was his. She was wearing an amazing red dress that reached right above her knees and had a low neckline. Tony loved that they were dressed up but he was starting to get nervous now.

She weaved in and out of traffic every time that Tony had asked a question about where they were going so Tony once again shut his mouth. She was being extremely careful, well her version of extremely careful, about her driving which added up to going only ten miles over the speed limit and only cutting people off when her exits came up.

She reached over and rubbed the back of his neck and taking a small amount of pity on him said, "We are going to a party Tony. And our presence was not requested it was ordered." She turned her attention back on the road while Tony absorbed this information. He thought to all the party's that agents were obligated to attend and he could only think of a few reasons they would be ordered to come. Anyway he pushed it to the back of his mind and said, "Fine. But can we leave a little early? I want to get back home and see if we can finish what we started in the hospital." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and she smiled seductively and said, "If you are a good boy." She lightly slapped him on the cheek.

* * *

Clarendon Ballroom, Arlington, VA

Tony and Ziva walked into the elegant ballroom. The place looked amazing. Tables littered half of the floor while the other was reserved as a dance floor. On the side with the tables stood a small raised area with a podium on it and a curtain across the back. On the dance floor side there was a stage with a band playing softly. The tables had white tablecloths and fancy silverware with a small centerpiece of candles.

Off to one side was a bar and a small buffet style or'durve table. The room was filled with people either sitting at their tables or milling around conversing with each other.

They walked into the room and met a small man there who asked, "Can I help you?" Tony not knowing exactly what to do said nothing while Ziva said, "Agent Tony DiNozzo and Officer Ziva David." The man looked through a list he was carrying and smiled at them. He said, "Table four. Near the front." Ziva smiled at the man and lead Tony through the area.

Tony knew almost all of the agents here and was greeted warmly by all of them. Warm praises of welcome back and glad your ok or can't wait 'til your back followed the pair as they reached their table. Tony gave Ziva a fowl look as she attempted to help him into his chair until she backed away with a smirk on her face. Tony eased himself into the chair watching his team member's eye him suspiciously waiting for the moment he would ask for help. When he was seated he gave them all a smile that said, "See. I can do it myself." To Gibbs and Ziva it looked like a small boy who rode his bike for the first time with no hands.

The conversation was freely flying around the table as the food was brought out for all of them to eat. Abby and McGee were discussing the differences between PC and Mac, Ducky was trying to regale Gibbs and Palmer with a story of a woman he met at an event similar to this one. Tony and Ziva were trying to get Abby and McGee off their subject and switch it to something that the entire table could possibly relate to, or as Tony put it, "Come on guys. I have been listening to medical mumbo jumbo for months and the day I get out I gotta listen to tech mumbo jumbo? Enough with the geek speak."

Finally there was a loud thumping from the speakers and the table looked up to see a man standing at the podium. After a few moments the crown quieted down to listen to the man. He said, "Hello to all of you and thank you for being here tonight. My name is Charles Conklin. I am the new assistant director for NCIS. I am sure a lot of you do not know what you are doing here tonight and I am going to try to alleviate some of the confusion. Four and a half months ago we lost some fine agents. But more to the fact we lost something more. That day we lost coworkers, mother's fathers, sons, and daughters. We lost friends."

Tony's eyes were carefully memorizing the small patterns of the tablecloth. His mind raced back to that particular day and tears started to prickle the back of his eyes. He felt a hand close around his and he looked at the hand and followed up it's arm to Ziva's face. A small sad smile graced her features as she squeezed his hand reassuringly. Tony let a small smile cross his face as he squeezed back.

Assistant Director Conklin continued, "We all know the risk that comes with this profession. Our friends who lost their lives in this tragedy knew that as well. But they accepted that risk everyday with no apprehension. For what some might ask. What is worth the risk? And I can't honestly say I have the right answer to that. But I do know is that all it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing. And our fallen comrades took up the fight. To try to make this world a better place. To make others feel safe and protected. I might not be a smart man but I know that that amount of courage and bravery is nothing short of heroism."

The entire crowd standing and clapping interrupted the speaker. Tony looked around the room while he was clapping himself. The room was truly taken by the mans words and there were more than a few teary eyes in the room.

The man at the podium was using his hands to try and quiet the crowd. After a few moments the clapping subsided and the man continued, "Our fallen friends are truly hero's. And another thing I know is that we must all honor our hero's. And to that affect ladies and gentlemen I give you the secretary of the Navy."

The crowd started clapping again as the assistant director moved back from the podium and turned to where the SecNav was coming out from behind the curtain. The SecNav shook the A.D's hand and then turned to the podium. The applause died down and AD Conklin took his seat behind the podium.

The SecNav turned to the A.D and said, "Thank you Assistant Director Conklin. Truer words have never been said." He turned back to the crowd and said, "We can never truly ease the pain and suffering that comes from losing a loved one. No amount of platitudes or speeches made can ease it. Nor can we express how much we will miss them for our heartache would never reach the depth of yours. But we can honor them. Honor the sacrifice's they made and honor the ideals that they held close. The families of our fallen friends could not be here tonight. But they each have received one of the highest honors that this agency can bestow upon an agent. The meritorious service cross."

The crowd again erupted into applause at the knowledge that the fallen agents would be receiving their due.

He began to speak again after the crowd had died down. He said, "I have one more honor to give tonight. This agent has shown all of us what bravery and courage truly is. Through his actions innocent lives were saved. A homegrown terrorist cell was revealed and able to be taken down to never harm this country again. He placed himself in grave peril to save other agents of his team and through his actions made the arrest of the mastermind behind our agent's deaths possible. Could Senior Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo join me on stage please."

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause. Tony looked around bewildered with wide eyes. Everyone in the room was standing and applauding. He looked around the table at his friends and they too were clapping and smiling down at him even Gibbs. Tony made no move to get up. Ziva leaned down and placed a chaste kiss upon his lips and whispered in his ear, "You should not keep the secretary of the Navy waiting." She stood back up and winked at him. Tony smiled and shook his head but attempted to get up. He slide back into his chair and said to Ziva, "I hate to do this really but could you help me up there?" His face was bright red from embarrassment but Ziva just smiled and nodded. With her help Tony made it up out of his chair and up onto the stage. Once he was set Ziva took a step back towards the other side so she was not in the limelight.

Tony just stood there on stage not quite believing what was going on but he stood at attention like he had seen others do at these ceremonies.

The SecNav turned back to the podium and said, "Agent DiNozzo you have shown the best what our agency is capable of. During a time of tragedy you stood up and showed keen intellect, bravery, and unmeasured courage. For your actions you are also awarded the Meritorious Service Cross." Tony beamed with pride and cast a look at Gibbs. Gibbs smiled at Tony and nodded his head to show that he believed every word the SecNav just said.

The SecNav continued, "I wish I could award you this myself but someone else came forward who I thought could do it better than I could. Miss Becca James."

The crowd began clapping again as one of the curtains on the right side of the stage began to flutter. Tony turned towards the right confused as to who this person was. His breath caught in his throat as he recognized the blond hair and blue eyes of the girl that had seared itself into his memory. Tony had the most genuine bright smile on his face as the girl shyly walked up to him. She was holding the medal in her hands by the ribbon that connected to it. She came to a stop in front of him and she motioned for him to lean down. He leaned down towards her and she placed the medal around his neck. When it was secured she wrapped her arms around him and whispered, "Thank you." He held her for a few moments until a few tears started to fall. They released each other and smile brightly at the other. Tony took her hand and smiled around the room. He turned to look at Ziva and she had tears running down her face and she mouthed the words, "I love you." Tony had never smiled so big in his life.

The crowd never stopped applauding.


End file.
